REFLECTION FOR TODAY
July 10, 2021
By Fr. Andrew Ibegbulem, OSA
What I say to you in the darkness, speak in the light; what you hear whispered, proclaim on the housetops. Matt. 10:27
It is an undeniable truth that as we turn to Jesus, He shows us who He is and who we are before Him. It is important that we lift our minds to God, asking Him to mold our priorities according to the truth of our faith.
Our gospel reference today contains one of the series of maxims Jesus gave his disciples as He prepare them for missionary journey. What is it that our Lord speaks to you in the “darkness” and what is it that you “hear whispered” by Him? This is an important question to consider, since whatever it is that is spoken that way must be spoken “in the light” and proclaimed, “on the housetops.”
Jesus had spoken to those who came to him in a veiled way, in figures of speech and in parables. His parables and various figures of speech are meant to draw the listener in so that they are attentive to the deeper message.
As we grow in faith, and become more familiar with Jesus, He begins to “lift the veil,” and begin to whisper His deepest truths to us within the depths of our souls. He then communicates to us in ways that go far beyond the veiled message of His parables and figures of speech and will communicate His very self to us, in ways that are beyond words.
As Christians, there is much God wants to say to us in a clear way. He wants to speak to us in the “darkness” of our interior life and with gentle whispers that can only be heard when we give Him our full attention. These communications are beyond words, concepts and images and can only be communicated in a direct and spiritual way through the gift of infused prayer.
God wants us to share the fruit of our interior communication with others. To share it in the light and to proclaim it on the housetops. This is first done by the witness of our lives, by allowing the transforming grace of God to shine forth through us in ways that He can only do. It is also done by being attentive to those moments when God wants to use you to share His deeper and often veiled truths with others. God must first speak of them to you, and then at the promptings of His grace, He will, at times, use you to share Him with others.
Reflect, today, upon this twofold action commanded by our Lord. First listen to Him. Listen to Him in the “darkness of faith.” Let Him draw you into the deepest and most certain convictions about His love and mercy and His very Self. Then, as you savor these hidden and holy communications from our Lord, look for ways by which He wants to speak to others through you. You do not have to initiate this proclamation; you only need to respond when He directs you. By building a deep level of prayer in this way, you will not only come to know our Lord in ways that are beyond words, but you will also know how and when He wants to speak to others through you.
Jesus, You desire to speak to me and all Your children in ways that are deep, profound and beyond words. Please do draw me deeper into these communications of Your love so that I may see beyond the veil and come to know You as You are. Please also use me, dear Lord, to speak to others as You choose. Jesus, I trust in You.