9th After Pentecost Homily

The Lord enters into the city of Jerusalem and He wept over it saying, “Would that even today you knew the things that make for peace! But now they are hid from your eyes.”

Here the Lord is weeping over the blindness of the people. That which has been hid from their eyes means that they are unable to see. As we are told in 2 Corinthians, “The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.”

This blindness is brought about because they are found to be rebellious against the truths of faith especially what He has come to fulfill. The Lord enters into this city of Jerusalem in order to bring peace and yet their hearts are found far from being receptive of such a gift. As the prophet Isaiah says of the Lord, that He has come to “proclaim peace, who brings good tidings, who proclaims salvation.”

The Lord enters into the Temple and here He dispels from its midst those who misuse the Temple. In this space they sold animals for sacrifice which were too costly and did not meet the requirement. Their heart was turned inward on self and in everything that they did they kept their eyes closed to God. So too the Lord desires to bring peace to our heart, but so often we allow ourself to remain closed to the gift that He desires to bring. We must dispel from our midst all that keeps us far from Him and thus leaves our sight closed off to Him.

In our Epistle we are instructed on the ways in which we choose to be caught up in temptation. As we give into temptation we move away from the Lord and allow our eyes to remain closed to the truths of faith. Entering into such passions do not bring peace to our heart for we have instead chosen to turn away from God. God alone stirs our heart into proper disposition that brings the peace for which we search into our life.

Our eyes must remain open to Him. Where they have been closed by sin we must chose to journey back to Him and His mercy. We do this through a repentant heart that calls out to His mercy. We do this when we return to the sacrament of confession and receive the forgiveness of sins. As we encounter the mercy of the Father sight is restored to our eyes for we have chosen to walk with His grace and allow His peace to enter into our life.

Let us not use the time that has been set before us to move away from God and His grace. We must not be rebellious against the truths of faith, but allow the Lord to bring peace into our life. This peace can only come if we choose to allow our eyes to be opened in order that they may see. When we look upon the Lord Jesus we see the light of the Gospel that changes hearts. Let us look upon Him in faith that we may we always strive to follow after Him in thought, word, and deed.