SEEING

Return to God’s word for the purpose of “hearing and seeing” Christ in the text. Fix your gaze on the illumination. Ask God to open the eyes of your heart and enable you to see what God wants you to see.

COMMENTS

Yesterday I reflected that the process of seeking out Jesus Christ, who is “everlasting peace,” can be a messy process.  As I focus on this illumination, I see what a completely beautiful mess this process really is!  There’s an energy and joyfulness about this illumination, but it’s anything but neat!

In many ways, I see the multicolored lines as being our various journeys on our quest for “everlasting peace.”  These lines are helter-skelter.  Some are bright and joyful, while others are dark and lonely.  Yet, every single line intersects with one of the wonderful titles of the Messiah from Isaiah: “Prince of Peace,” “King of Kings,” “God with us.”  If that isn’t enough, every lines also intersects with a jubilant “Hallelujah!” 

For me, this is reflective of how the Divine constantly intersects with our lives, whether we know it or not, whether we asked for it or not.  There’s an old saying that comes to mind that says “Summoned or not summoned, God is present.”  I see that very clearly in this illumination.  Through life’s highs and lows, somehow we are always running into a “Hallelujah” moment.  These moments become possible through the promise of Isaiah at the bottom of the illumination “Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign.  Look, the young woman is with child and shall bear a son, and shall name him Immanuel.”  From this unassuming prediction comes a savior, a Messiah, who is always with us on our journey and who ultimately leads us to himself, “everlasting peace.”

Messianic Predictions, Thomas Ingmire, © 2005 The Saint John’s Bible, Order of Saint Benedict, Collegeville, Minnesota, USA. Scripture quotations are from the New Revised Standard Version of the Bible, Catholic Edition, Copyright 1993, 1989 National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.