As I perused the Gospel for the Fifth Sunday of Lent, I thought about the Greeks demanding of Philip, “Sir, we wish to see Jesus”. Into my mind leapt words of an old charismatic hymn: “Open our eyes, Lord, we want to see Jesus, to reach out and touch him, to say that we love him. Open our ears Lord and help us to listen. Open our eyes Lord, we want to see God”.
Being watchful, paying attention, listening, pleading and seeing are words which form a golden thread running through the scriptures during the Lenten season. St. Luke 9:15 echoes God’s call, “This is my Son, the Beloved, listen to Him”. Psalm 95 laments, “O that today you would listen to the voice of the Lord; harden not your hearts”. The readings of the first Sunday of Lent state God’s invitation, “Come back to me with all your heart”. The Psalmist in psalm 26 pleads, “It is your face I seek, O God; hide not your face from me”. Again in Psalm 51 we beg, “Grant to us O Lord, a heart renewed. Recreate in us your own Spirit, Lord”.
Let us continue along our Lenten path listening to the voice of God and praying for renewed and ever expanding hearts open to the urgings of the Spirit during our final sprint to the Paschal feast. May the coming celebration of Easter with its joy and songs of resurrection reflect our desire to be recreated each day in God’s spirit of gentleness, peace and joy. Deep in our hearts may we hear God whisper, “Listen, my people, your prayers are answered; your prayers are answered”.
Jean Moylan, CSJ