Today’s Gospel:  Luke 9:43-45

REFLECTION
Today’s Gospel reminds us of a song made popular by Simon and Garfunkel in the 60s, “The Sound of Silence.”  A part of that song goes like this:  “And in the naked light I saw / Ten thousand people, maybe more. / People talking without speaking, / People hearing without listening, / People writing songs that voices never shared / And no one dared / Disturb the sound of silence.”  This was a fitting description of Jesus’ disciples.

Some of the greatest lessons in God’s school are learned slowly. Each new demonstration of the power of Christ increased the fervent expectation that the establishment of the kingdom was imminent. Neither the oft-repeated instruction of Christ, nor the somber Lessons from the Mount succeeded in making an impact on the preconceived ideas of the disciples. They looked for the coming of the kingdom and anything opposed to that idea was unwelcome. There are none so blind as the people who have no wish to see, and none so limited in vision as those whose eyes are focused on one spot. Their reluctance to discuss the subject might be explained by their fear that He might rebuke them for being poor listeners, or by the horror of having to listen to something they thought better left unsaid.

God’s lessons are sometimes hard to absorb.  But to those who really wish to probe, He gives the touch of the Holy Spirit that makes learning easy and enjoyable.  And that is free for the asking.

Today’s Reading:  Eccl 11:9, 12:8

PRAYER
Lord, yes, we want to embrace your truth wholly.  Our minds are limited, our pace of learning slow, but we ask that you lend us the wisdom of Your Spirit so that in Your knowledge we may grow. In Jesus’ Name we pray.  Amen.