If we do behold the face of God, will we recognize it or walk away

Father Perry D. Leiker, pastor.

By Father Perry D. Leiker, pastor

A reflection on the daily readings, for Monday of the Third Week of Lent, by Father Perry.

+ As the saying goes: “It takes a big man to say that he was wrong.”

Let’s face it — admitting one’s faults or errors just doesn’t come easy to many, even maybe to most.

But in this little story from 2 Kings, Naaman not only admits his error which he dramatically made ranting and raving like an almost crazy man, but he’s gently confronted by the simple reasoning of his servants — he goes and does as the prophet had instructed him.

He washed seven (Uh oh! There’s that sacred number again!) times and his flesh became, once again, like a little baby’s flesh.

Clean! New! Unblemished! Now the best happens.

He returns to the man of God: “Oh! Was I ever wrong!”

But not only that, he makes a public profession of faith in front of all of his men: “Now I know that there is no God in all the earth, except in Israel.”

“Now I know that there is no God in all the earth, except in Israel.”

What a blessing he must have been to his soldiers under him. What an example. And, like often happens in the scriptures, Naaman was healed not only outwardly, but inwardly.

Faith flowed into and out of him.

He was super-blessed, indeed.

+ Jesus relates this story and tells the opposite results. Not only did the people not find faith through their prophets, they rejected the truth and the prophets, and threw a tantrum and attempted to kill Jesus — him — whom they had been waiting for.

And when he came, they did not even see or hear the Holy One of God in their midst.

So the psalmist beautifully echoes the longing truth: “Athirst is my soul for the living God. When shall I go and behold the face of God?”

But the additional question that must be asked: “If I do behold the face of God will I recognize it or walk away in a huff like Naaman? And if I should walk away in a huff and miraculously be gently confronted by those who do behold the face, will I be able to admit my error and say I was wrong, and finally see and hear and live?”

Father Perry D. Leiker is the 13th pastor of St. Bernard Catholic Church. Reach him at (323) 255-6142. Email Father Perry at pleiker@stbernard-church.com. Follow Father Perry on Twitter: @MrDeano76.