“Jesus bore with me patiently, for He does not unfold everything at once to the soul. He gives His light little by little.” (Saint Therese of Lisieux).
Have you ever heard the expression, “An eye for an eye makes the whole world blind.”?
Well, I have heard it many many times before, and today, it has been playing through my head on repeat – over and over again…
In the Gospel of Saint Matthew we are told that we are not to take an eye for an eye – in other words, we are not to seek vengeance against those who would harm us or cause us pain…
“You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.’ But I say to you, Do not resist one who is evil. But if any one strikes you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also; and if any one would sue you and take your coat, let him have your cloak as well; and if any one forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles. Give to him who begs from you, and do not refuse him who would borrow from you.” (Matthew 5:38-42).
And I have been thinking in particular about Saint Matthew himself, writing this passage of the Gospel. You see, Saint Matthew had been a tax collector. In other words, Saint Matthew was a man who had always collected what was due (and then probably some more – because tax collectors in ancient Rome tended to line their pockets with bribes and extortion). And I can imagine the utter and complete transformation of this wonderous saint – through GRACE – in being able to write these words of Christ, and the believe them and to speak them and the KNOW them to be true for all the world, despite all the experiences of his life BEFORE Christ.
And it is a wonder worthy of contemplation – this conversion of Saint Matthew. There he was – doing literally the most hated thing in all the ancient world – collecting taxes from people who could not afford to pay them. And then – suddenly – Christ called him and in an instant, he was up, off his seat, out the door and walking down the road with Christ. Just imagine that… Leaving EVERYTHING he had ever known – all the stability and comforts that he had borne so much hatred to acquire. And leaving all of that for NOTHING. Nothing worldly. Obviously he achieved sanctification through this – but from the perspective of all the world he surrendered EVERYTHING to live a nomadic life, to be persecuted and eventually – to be tortured and killed…
And I have been reflecting on the GRACE that God gives to us to be able to bear such humiliation as this. Saint John Mary Vianney, who was called the Curé of Ars, was a priest who was renowned even during his lifetime for his holiness. Because he was so well known and pious, some other priests in the area were jealous of him. Accordingly, one day a group of these envious priests got together and wrote a letter to the bishop telling him that Saint John Vianney was an ignorant and useless man and priest and that he should be removed from the district. The letter was sent around to the parishes in the district for the priests to sign. By accident, it landed on Saint John Vianney’s desk. The saint read that letter and all the charges made against him. Then, do you know what he did? Well, he too signed the letter of course. Then he stamped it and sent it off to the Bishop…
You see, Saint John Vianney was a humble man, and a humble soul can accept the words of Saint John Fisher, who said, “A good man is not a perfect man; a good man is an honest man, faithful and unhesitatingly responsive to the voice of God in his life.” And he was unconcerned with his weaknesses – those were for God to help him with, rather than a concern of his own…
For Saint John Vianney (and all the saints) understood the words of Saint Therese of Lisieux, who wrote, “Jesus bore with me patiently, for He does not unfold everything at once to the soul. He gives His light little by little.” (Saint Therese of Lisieux).
And it occurs to me that I am in the company of the Saints – for I have taken an eye for an eye, and now I am blind – and “Jesus bore with me patiently, for He does not unfold everything at once to the soul. He gives His light little by little.” (Saint Therese of Lisieux).
For with prayer, I stand on Holy Ground where everything is clear. Here. At the Foot of the Cross.
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