Read Online
On a certain sabbath Jesus went into the synagogue and taught, and
there was a man there whose right hand was withered. The scribes
and the Pharisees watched him closely to see if he would cure on
the sabbath so that they might discover a reason to accuse him. But
he realized their intentions… Luke 6:6–8
Jesus had a gift. Of course, He had every good gift to perfection.
But in today’s Gospel, we see one of Jesus’ gifts made
manifest. Namely, Jesus was able to realize the intentions of those
He daily encountered.
Normally, we can only know another’s intentions if they were to
tell us their intentions. We cannot read minds and hearts. But our
Lord could. He had the divine ability to read every soul and know
every heart. For that reason, when someone came to Him with great
faith, He knew it. And when someone came to Him with evil intent,
He knew it.
When Jesus perceived the ill intentions of the scribes and
Pharisees, He used that knowledge to manifest their intentions.
They intended to find a reason to accuse Jesus, so He gave them
one. Jesus cured a man with a withered hand on the Sabbath, and the
scribes and Pharisees “became enraged and discussed together what
they might do to Jesus.” They thought miracles were violations of
the law of Sabbath rest. Jesus knew they would apply their
twisted logic to this miraculous healing, and He knew they would
become enraged at Him on account of their envy. So, in a sense,
Jesus provoked them so that that which was in their hearts would
come forth for them to see.
All of our interior intentions and thoughts are known by God and
must become manifest to us in the presence of God. By provoking the
scribes and Pharisees in charity, Jesus forces them to face that
which was within them. They had to choose to either continue down
the path of envy or to realize the foolishness of their interior
thoughts. Sadly, for the scribes and Pharisees, it appears that
many of them became more hardened in their sin. But this was a
choice only they could make.
Reflect, today, upon your own interior intentions and thoughts. Why
do you do the things you do? What hidden motivations are in your
heart? Is there some person, or a certain situation you find
yourself in that causes you to obsess in anger interiorly? Or is it
true charity that resides within you and is the source of your
actions? Is there a profound faith? A supernatural hope? Or is it
primarily some sin with which you struggle? Know that Jesus knows
your heart, and He wants you also to see clearly those things
hidden in your heart. He wants you to see your intentions as
clearly as He sees them. Allow Him to reveal the depths of your
heart to you so that you can turn away from the sins you find and
rejoice in the virtues by which you live.
My glorious Lord, you know all thoughts and probe the depths of
every heart. You know me, Lord, through and through. Please open my
eyes to see that which is within me so that I can discern the ill
intentions I have and rejoice in the virtues given to me by You.
May I always be attentive to You, dear Lord, so that I become aware
of all that You wish to reveal to me. Jesus, I trust in
You.
Source of content:
catholic-daily-reflections.com
Copyright 2024 My Catholic Life! Inc. All rights reserved.
Used with permission via RSS feed.
Featured image above: The Healing of The Man with the
Withered Hand via Wikimedia Commons
Kommentare (0)
Melde dich an, um einen Kommentar zu schreiben.