+ Sticking with the readings for the 33rd Week in Ordinary Time, we continue with the enormous symbolism found in Revelation — each scroll with seven seals, a lamb with seven horns and seven eyes, seven spirits. Seven, seven, seven. To an outsider, it would appear that the number seven had some prominence and maybe special significance. To the Christian faithful, seven — the number of completion and perfection — obviously had much significance here, and let us wait to see where it might be leading us.
For us at this fifth chapter of Revelation, we are not even a fourth of the way through this book; and so, we expect more to be shared, more to be revealed, more to understand, more to teach; and we can and must be patient as we wait for all of the above.
Jesus, in this Gospel of Luke, is nearly four-fifths of the way through this Gospel. Here, Jesus weeps over Jerusalem. Here, it is said that they will smash you to the ground, smash your children to the ground, and smash all the stones to the ground so that not a stone will be left upon another stone — total destruction. And the most condemning line or verse from this passage sums it up —
“… Because you did not recognize the time of your visitation.”
Yikes and yikes! Blind. Deaf. Dumb. Hard Hearts. Where does it end? When will they learn? Why? Why? Why?
And so it is said again as we have heard so many times before —
“If today you hear his voice, harden not your hearts.”
And although we might not like to hear this applied to ourselves, how good it is to hear it once again. This heart condition is indeed a deadly one. Hard hearts! We need those hearts that can see and hear and listen and love; there simply is no other option.
Today’s feast is the Presentation of Mary in the Temple. Mary — presented to God. Mary — dedicated to God. Mary — one who would throughout her life live with a heart that was open and listening and receptive to grace upon grace, and would not only not harden, but become more alive each breathing moment of her life!
Lord, may we present ourselves to you in much the same spirit of Mary, and come to know your love and your life within us! Alleluia!
