If there is a theme for today’s readings for the Second Scrutiny, I think it would have to be one of visibility. Being able to see is a wonderful thing, but with it comes both responsibilities, and the need to exercise humility. I say this because when we see things, we become aware of what is going on around us, and this sometimes means we need to be prepared to address issues, or to call out a wrong, or perhaps to in some cases acknowledge the righteous deeds of others. All of these require awareness, and then at least as importantly the wisdom to recognize them properly. It is this recognition and proper understanding that necessitates the need for humility and to always ask for Gods help in understanding and interpreting. Without His help, we have a propensity to use purely human standards and ideas to base our judgements on, and these are often very flawed. We see the physical, we do not see the whole picture, because we cannot see the mind and the heart, and the soul.
How often do we make snap judgements about others based on their appearance, or their attire, or their station in life? Yet do any of these things adequately define who a person truly is? We need to instead, always take the time to ask our Lord to open our eyes with compassion and love to allow us to see more of what is there in another person, and to always err on the side of being willing to give another the benefit of the doubt. When Samuel was speaking to Jesse, it initially looked to him that Eliab would be the Lords chosen based on his lofty stature and appearance, yet the Lord rejected him and chose the humblest of Jesse’s sons, David, and made him king because He knew that David would follow his word and commands rather than display arrogance and self-import, and instead follow his own designs – He knew David was a man after His own heart. There are still David’s out there today, those who each day humbly follow God without calling attention to themselves, without showing a lot of flash or the trappings of secular success. These people go largely un-noticed simply because they are not what our eyes are attracted to. As part of the remaining effect of original sin, we instead tend to look for illusions of grandeur, for position, wealth and power. It’s honestly no wonder we so often wind up with those in power over us that are inherently flawed and do not fulfill their role as just leaders. It is equally unsurprising that we sometimes make poor choices regarding those who we choose to emulate at work, or in social situations, or our personal lives. We often do not see clearly because we have not asked for the grace of God’s light to illumine our sight and open our hearts to truth.
Each day, we have an opportunity to ask Jesus to make the same clay and anoint our eyes so that they can see clearly those around us and allow us to treat them as we should in terms of their importance in our lives. We can learn of the things that are actually important to our salvation from sources that those who look merely at the surface would otherwise dismiss as insignificant or unworthy of attention. The janitor in the hall, the small child of limited years, the older person who perhaps cannot completely care for themselves anymore; all of these are often the true sources of wisdom if we look at them with the anointed eyes that Jesus can provide us with. As we move through this Lenten season, we should get into a new habit of asking for this clearer vision each day, and then keep to that throughout the year. Each morning as we wake, giving God thanks for that new day, and asking for this grace could be the best time we spend in that new days beginning.
Podcast Link
The Deacons Bench 
Some very wise and holy person said we need to learn to “see with the eyes of the heart”. It may have been St. Theresa of Avila.
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