- 28 October 2018 – Thirtieth Sunday in Ordinary Time
New Eyes for New Life
For as long as I can remember I have had corrected vision with spectacles. At this stage it’s part of me- and a few times when I was walking around without glasses- people took a while to figure it was me!
Sometimes we get used to seeing people in a fixed particular way. We talked in one recent Campaign of people being in “echo-chambers”, debating, inter-acting with people who shared their views in a “group-think” manner, and in some cases blocking opposing voices online. It’s a risk for any group of people and we so need people to expand our limited perspective on things. I once had gotten so used to a certain type of people showing up at events, I nearly didn’t notice the lack of young people at what I thought was a “well attended” event – until a parent pointed out the glaringly obvious. So we worked harder at personally inviting and involving this group.
Don’t we all have inner vision that becomes blurry, unfocused and in some senses rendering us blind? Physical vision can be near or long sighted. I am the former and can run the risk of seeing only what serves me and failing to see the needs of those beyond my reach.
But I’m not alone.. others choose what is short-term and handy, at the expense of what is ultimately for everyone’s good- longer-term. Somebody once said that a politican can think of the next election while a Statesman (or woman) thinks of the next generation.
I remember reading many years ago of a man with zero vision ended up on a journey with a driver who got hopelessly lost… Now- this was before Sat-Nav and smart phone maps. When the blind man suggested to the driver that he look for a signpost- the driver admitted that he couldn’t read.. So there was nothing for it, but to have the driver, hoist his unseeing but reading passenger up the nearest signpost to read it by tracing with his fingers the raised letters that were on old Irish signposts!
Have we lost the ability to read the signs of the times? Has our vision become impaired by looking too long into the “screens” of our times- that we’ve lost sight of what is true and eternal. Maybe my way of thinking has become impaired by listening to and reading only what I agree with, only what fits my own idea of what is “true.” Contributions from those who match my opinions coming to shape my own ideas and choices.
We should bring this vision problem before the Lord… “what do you want me to do for you” is not just a past statement- it’s a present-day offer to help.