Lord That we May See You

03-21-2021Weekly ReflectionFr. Anthony Okolo, C.S.Sp

Today’s liturgy invites us to examine how we have done with our Lenten observances of this year as the Lenten season is gradually coming to an end. As it is, there is still time left to make a change and make progress if we have not done so well in our Lenten practices. Today’s Gospel tells the story about the Greeks who wanted to see Jesus and they went to Philip who is from Bethsaida in Galilee. Philip took them to Andrew and both went to Jesus. These Greeks who wanted to see Jesus represent all the pagans, or Gentile who desire to encounter Jesus. These people represent all those who are interested and really want to encounter Jesus in their lives. These Greeks represent all of us who are unworthy, but wish to come close to Jesus. The desire to see Jesus as the Greeks did in today’s Gospel should be our own goal in life. That is, the desire to see Jesus because He is our savior and Lord. Our hope as Christians is to see Jesus. A personal question for each of us should be: Do I really desire to see Jesus? How often in my life do I desire personally to encounter Jesus? Unless we desire sincerely from our heart to meet Jesus and see Him we would not see Him.

The second message from the action of Philip tells us that anyone of us that truly desires to come close to Jesus is never turned away. No one who has ever sincerely come to Jesus was ever rejected. No one who comes to Jesus in humility is turned away. He welcomes all with open arms and open heart. That’s why the crucifix hanging in our churches would always show the two arms of Jesus spread wide open apart. That symbol of Jesus’ open arms spread on the cross is His welcoming heart to anyone who decides to come close to Him. Those arms are open to embrace anyone no matter your circumstances or your past.

The occasion of the meeting of Jesus with these Greeks became opportunity for Jesus to glorify God in a very special way. Jesus said, “The hour has come for the son of man to be glorified. Amen, Amen I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains just a grain of wheat; but if it dies, it produces much fruit” In a word, unless we are ready to die to our pride, our personal selfish desires, we cannot see Him. Therefore, for us to see Jesus and encounter Him we must put an end to these inordinate desires which obstruct us from meeting Jesus. We meet Jesus when we kill selfishness, pride, unruly and ambitious desires. We know it is not all that easy, but with serious desires to see Him, He accompanies us with His grace and love.

Finally, the first reading talks about the new covenant God wants to make with his people. “The days are coming, says the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and the house of Judah” God wants to make a new covenant with us as His chosen people. The amazing news about this new covenant is that God gives us a promise that is very awesome, “I will be their God and they will be my people since I will forgive their iniquity and never call their sins to mind.” What an awesome message to hear from our Lord that our sins would never be remembered and He would be there for us as our God. These encouraging words from God becomes a message of hope as we go through this Lenten season. God in His merciful love assures us that He would forgive us our wrong doing and remember our sins no more. God is ever willing to forgive our iniquity and never call to mind our sins if we approach Him in humility of heart. Let us therefore come to Him in humility.

As we gradually come towards the end of this Lenten season let these words of our Lord be the source of our strength.