Reading
The disciples came to Jesus and asked, “Why do you speak to the people in parables?” He replied, “This is why I speak to them in parables: Though seeing, they do not see; though hearing, they do not hear or understand. In them is fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah: ‘You will be ever hearing but never understanding; you will be ever seeing but never perceiving. For this people’s heart has become calloused; they hardly hear with their ears, and they have closed their eyes. Otherwise they might see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their hearts and turn, and I would heal them.’ But blessed are your eyes because they see, and your ears because they hear.”
Matthew 13:10, 13-16 (NIV)
Reflection
Today, we’re living in a world in which there’s more information available to us than ever before. In fact, some of the puzzling conundrums we currently face have to do with being able to sort which information is to be paid attention to and which should be ignored. The deep question becomes this: How do we reclaim (or maintain) our sense of being fully human in a world of growing technology and complexity?
When it comes to living a life that’s fulfilling (fully experiencing the grace of God), there’s much sorting we must do. Some of the stimuli surrounding us is helpful; some not. Take heart, however, because the experience of abundant life Jesus has promised us can be ours, even in our complex and increasingly technological world. We can learn to cultivate habits that will help us be fully human.
We have more and more voices telling us, through a myriad of avenues, what supposedly constitutes a “good life” and what criteria we should have for happiness and fulfillment. Yet, in a context of such abundant stimuli, it’s hard to experience an abundant life. For instance, news stories – about things near to us and things far away – can give us so much detail that our hearts and minds don’t know what to do with all that troubling information. It’s a lot to process, so our minds and hearts often tune it out or become desensitized.
Furthermore, we tend to default to empty habits, partly because we experience such default as simplicity in an otherwise complex and overstimulating environment. Ironically, we often go right to scrolling on our phone, choosing something to stream on our smart television, or automatically turning on a music playlist, in lieu of having some quiet time in our lives. There’s nothing wrong with doing any of those things, but if we’re constantly having our brains stimulated by things around us, it’s often hard to maintain an awareness of God’s peace within us.
Perhaps this is related closely to what Jesus meant when he mentioned having eyes that see and ears that hear. Last year, I read Amy G. Oden’s book, Right Here, Right Now, and I was enriched by her insights regarding what it means to have such “eyes and ears.” In one of her chapters, she talks about “curating” our stimulating environment, filtering what we’re experiencing by “seeing” it and “hearing” it in ways which clarify for us how God’s love is evident in the world and how we’re being called to be part of the action of such divine love.
In many ways, this isn’t as hard as it might sound, because we’re getting more and more used to curating, as we choose from the constant barrage of information what might be useful for our own life in the context of the bigger world. In this way, we participate in the fulfillment of the missio Dei (mission of God) and can find deeper awareness of both the divine love of God and the fuller “becoming” of our human selves. Oden points out that many people today are drawn toward slowing down their pace and becoming more mindful. Such mindfulness can be seen in lots of ways, and it becomes Christian mindfulness when we look for the presence of Christs’ love, grace, and peace in our world. To do this requires much sorting. Here’s what Oden writes about such curating:
“Curating mindfulness means paying attention to where and why it is taking root in many places. Faithful curating requires careful observation, using “eyes to see” and “ears to hear” how God may be at work through mindfulness in the twenty-first century as in previous centuries. This is nothing new. Such curating is a form of mindful discernment, which has always been the work of the Christian life. We curate the culture every day, seeking discernment to live faithfully as we surf the Internet choosing which sites get our attention, as we choose new sources that will shape our worldview, as we buy groceries and steward our resources. We are always making choices about how we love the world that God so loves, participating in the missio Dei for abundant life for all. In fact, we ignore this work at our peril.”
Are there places, times, or opportunities in your life which you can embrace as quiet moments of Christian mindfulness? If so, how might you be a good steward of such opportunities, so you can grow in your awareness of God’s love and receive clarity about your place in the sharing of such love? What needs to change about your spiritual eyes or spiritual ears so you can be more fully human and know more fully the abundant life God offers you?
Prayer
Almighty and Loving God, help me truly see your love in this world, and help me really hear the messages of your grace all around me. Help me sift through what the world shows me and tells me, so that I might grow in my likeness of Christ and become a part of your holy mission. Amen.
