At that same hour Jesus rejoiced in the Holy Spirit and said, “I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and the intelligent and have revealed them to infants; yes, Father, for such was your gracious will.
All things have been handed over to me by my Father; and no one knows who the Son is except the Father, or who the Father is except the Son and anyone to whom the Son chooses to reveal him. ”Then turning to the disciples, Jesus said to them privately, “Blessed are the eyes that see what you see! For I tell you that many prophets and kings desired to see what you see, but did not see it, and to hear what you hear, but did not hear it.”
New Revised Standard Version, copyright 1989, by the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved. USCCB approved (http://www.usccb.org/bible/approved-translations)
Lutheran pastor Dietrich Bonhoeffer was imprisoned by the Nazis. Just before Christmas 1943 he wrote: “Life in a prison reminds me a great deal of Advent. One waits and hopes and putters around. But in the end what we do is of little consequence. The door is shut, and it can only be opened from the outside.”
That describes the human race before Jesus’ coming. We were imprisoned by sin. The door was shut and couldn’t be opened, except from the outside. That’s what Jesus did; he opened the door. What am I doing with the new freedom Jesus won for the human race—and me?
—Excerpted from Action, by Fr. Mark Link, S.J. ©2000 RCL Enterprises, Inc., Allen TX. For more prayer resources from Fr. Link, please visit www.staygreat.com
Lord, thank you for the special people in our lives who have helped us to know you. Your words resonate with us when you speak to your disciples. “Blessed are the eyes that see what you see! For I tell you that many prophets and kings desired to see what you see, but did not see it, and to hear what you hear, but did not hear it.”
We pray for the parent, teacher, neighbor, grandparent, friend, relative, or religious that has modeled your love and taught us about you. Lord, bless them abundantly and if it is your will, grant them their hearts’ desire.
—The Jesuit Prayer Team
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