See And Hear Christ

Most Catholics would claim that they see and hear Christ. They hear his word proclaimed at Mass and receive him in the Eucharist. They follow him. Yet, if we look at our world today, it is hard to conclude that we truly follow Christ. There are many Catholics, on both sides of the political aisle, who openly dissent against Church teachings on abortion, immigration, the treatment of the poor, and her sexual ethics. These people claim to see and hear Christ, yet they have not allowed Christ to penetrate their hearts and transform them. Have we allowed Christ to transform us?

Gospel - Matthew 13:10-17

The disciples approached Jesus and said,

"Why do you speak to the crowd in parables?"

He said to them in reply,

"Because knowledge of the mysteries of the Kingdom of heaven

has been granted to you, but to them it has not been granted.

To anyone who has, more will be given and he will grow rich;

from anyone who has not, even what he has will be taken away.

This is why I speak to them in parables, because

they look but do not see and hear but do not listen or understand.

Isaiah's prophecy is fulfilled in them, which says:

You shall indeed hear but not understand,

you shall indeed look but never see.

Gross is the heart of this people,

they will hardly hear with their ears,

they have closed their eyes,

lest they see with their eyes

and hear with their ears

and understand with their hearts and be converted

and I heal them.

"But blessed are your eyes, because they see,

and your ears, because they hear.

Amen, I say to you, many prophets and righteous people

longed to see what you see but did not see it,

and to hear what you hear but did not hear it."

Scriptural Analysis

Jesus had just presented the parable of the sower, and now his disciples turned to him to ask him why he had chosen to speak to the crowd in parables. For the ancient Jews, a parable was a cryptic saying or a story designed to provoke thought. They were sometimes used to communicate God’s judgment on the Israelites for their sins. For example, the Prophet Isaiah used the parable of the unproductive vineyard to foretell God’s wrath upon Israel (Isaiah 5:1-7). In this case, Jesus is using parables to address the indifference exhibited by many to his teachings, as well as the opposition of the Pharisees, who are actively plotting his death.

Jesus tells the disciples that the “knowledge of the mysteries of the Kingdom of heaven has been granted to you.” However, such knowledge will not be given to those who do not follow him. Those who are open to his teachings, who are not rejecting him, will be able to perceive more. However, those who are close-hearted will be unable to understand the mysteries of the kingdom. Those who are open will receive an even greater understanding of the kingdom, but to those who have not, even what they understood will be taken away.

Jesus further clarifies his use of parables when he states, “They look but do not see and hear but do not listen or understand.” Many of the people in Israel refused to receive the message of Jesus. They look but do not see the miracles he has done. They listen, but they do not hear the words he is saying or his call to repentance. To highlight this, he points to the Prophet Isaiah, who tells how God sent his prophet to call the people to repentance, but few take his message to heart. Like Isaiah, Jesus calls God’s people to repent, but many in Israel refuse.

This concept of seeing and hearing is fundamental in this section. It is not enough to physically see Christ’s miracles and hear his words. Many do this, yet refuse to follow him. The disciples, however, are blessed because they truly see and hear Christ, and as a result, understand His message. They respond to him from their heart and follow him. As a result, they are given explanations that help them understand the meaning of the parables.

Daily Application

Jesus tells us in this Gospel that we need to see and hear him. We need to see the works that he has done and hear the words that he preached. Then, we must allow Christ, through his words and deeds, to penetrate our hearts and change us. That is what it means to see and hear Christ truly. That is also the most challenging part of being a disciple.

To be a true disciple of Christ requires great humility. One has to be humble to accept that there is an authority greater than oneself. It is humbling to realize that one’s life does not align with Christ’s teachings. It also takes a tremendous amount of humility, especially in the 21st century, to pick up one’s cross daily to follow Christ.

We live in a world that is fundamentally opposed to suffering and self-sacrifice. Our world tells us that there is nothing to gain in suffering or serving others. It tells us that a life lived like this is miserable. Our world often fails to recognize the joy that such a life can bring. Yet the great Saints of the Church understood this. They humbled themselves to accept God’s will for them.

Today, the Church celebrates the Memorial of Saint Sharbel. He was a Maronite (Eastern rite) Catholic monk who lived a simple life of prayer and work. It was a hard life of humility, of obedience to his superiors, and embracing the suffering that came his way. Pope Saint Paul VI beautifully summarized his life in the homily he delivered at Sharbel’s canonization Mass.

Nevertheless, the key of this life that looks strange in its appearance was the pursuit of sainthood, which means the most perfect conformity to Christ, humble and poor, the uninterrupted conversation with the Lord, the personal participation to the sacrifice of Christ through passionate celebration of the Holy Mass and throw the rigorous penitence joined with the intercession for sinners.

Saint Sharbel could say with certainty that he had seen and heard Christ. He allowed the deeds and words of Christ to penetrate his heart and change him. Then he conformed his life to reflect this change and devoutly followed Christ. Let us imitate Saint Sharbel. Let us see and hear Christ.