Christ’s words are given to us so that we would live to the full

Father Perry D. Leiker, pastor.

A reflection on the daily readings, for Memorial St. Elizabet of Hungary, religious, by Father Perry.

By Father Perry D. Leiker, pastor

+ When you see a miraculously beautiful painting, you want to know the artist who painted it because you know, the colors of the oils on the canvas did not arrange themselves, but were carefully chosen and painted by the artist.

When you read a book that leaves you breathless, you know the letters and words did not gather themselves on the pages of the book; they were placed there in meticulous order by the genius who first thought them, then cleverly and carefully produced letter after letter to speak the message the author wanted to convey.

And so Wisdom reminds us today, or reveals to us, if we did not previously know this, that all of the beauty of the earth, and its powers, and its complexities, were created by an author of beauty, power, and complexity whom we call God.

And although drawn to the beauty and power and complexity themselves, ought we not to recognize and acknowledge the source of all that beauty and power and complexity?

In fact, as the psalm reminds us, “The heavens declare the glory of God, and the firmament proclaims his handiwork.”

And the scriptures point to the author of it all, and the creator even of ourselves.

The complexity that makes so much individuality in each and every human soul is the work of genius — the handiwork of our God.

And as we gaze into our own souls and look about this creation, taking in with our eyes and our ears and our hearts all that lies before us — the handiwork of our God —, ought we not first of all to simply smile in gratitude, and allow our spirits to be uplifted by all that God has done and by all that God has given to us?

+ And so, Jesus, too, reminds us that we need to be alert, and to see, hear, recognize, and acknowledge with our hearts and with much gratitude what is before our very eyes.

The Christ has been given to us by the Father who asks of us to see and hear his message of love given so beautifully in the words and teachings of this Christ.

Given to us so that we could find life that God hopes we would live to the full.

For if this does not happen, then it will be as if he never came; it will be for this one to see and hear, and that one to be left behind blind, or deaf, or both.

Funny or sad or both, even vultures do better; for as the scriptures tell it today, “Where the body is, there also the vultures will gather.”

They get it, and they are able to see, and then happily able to eat!

Are we able to see, hear, and absorb into our hearts with great understanding the message that comes from and through our Christ and from our God?

This very day, will we look into the mirror and say “Thank you, God!“?

For even the heavens are declaring the “glory of God” that is in each one of us.

We must not be blind or deaf, but rather see and hear, and understand and believe!

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