With the eyes of your heart enlightened... - Ephesians 1:18
As a protestant pastor, it has always confused me about the relationship that we have with Mary, the mother of Jesus, especially as I interact with the Catholic Church. I've studied and read a variety of books (probably not enough), and I understand it when it to a certain extent, but in the same breath I will say that I still don't fully understand.
It brings to mind the belief that we need some kind of mediator in talking and interacting with God; God is so impossibly and utterly holy, that our humanity prevents us from seeing God fully, or interacting with God fully. Some believe that Jesus is exactly this mediator, while still others maintain that there has to be even more that help us see God more fully. Some utilize the saints as those who are able to help us see God and Jesus more fully - and some utilize Mary.
Regardless of how we express it, it seems clear to me that we are always looking for ways to see God more clearly and to understand the Divine presence in ways that are sometimes foreign to us. Paul maintains that the heart has eyes for us to see God more clearly. We may never understand that biology, but we do understand that the heart helps us to see in ways that the eyes cannot.
When the disciples and others were witness to the resurrected Christ just days after his execution, I'm sure many of them questioned their eyes - are they really seeing HIM? It is the heart that helps us to answer with a resounding "YES! No matter my questions about the plausibility or the biology of seeing Christ - THIS IS CHRIST."
My prayer for each of us this week is that we are able to utilize the eyes of our hearts more and more, to see God in Christ in ways that the eyes on our heads might never allow.
It brings to mind the belief that we need some kind of mediator in talking and interacting with God; God is so impossibly and utterly holy, that our humanity prevents us from seeing God fully, or interacting with God fully. Some believe that Jesus is exactly this mediator, while still others maintain that there has to be even more that help us see God more fully. Some utilize the saints as those who are able to help us see God and Jesus more fully - and some utilize Mary.
Regardless of how we express it, it seems clear to me that we are always looking for ways to see God more clearly and to understand the Divine presence in ways that are sometimes foreign to us. Paul maintains that the heart has eyes for us to see God more clearly. We may never understand that biology, but we do understand that the heart helps us to see in ways that the eyes cannot.
When the disciples and others were witness to the resurrected Christ just days after his execution, I'm sure many of them questioned their eyes - are they really seeing HIM? It is the heart that helps us to answer with a resounding "YES! No matter my questions about the plausibility or the biology of seeing Christ - THIS IS CHRIST."
My prayer for each of us this week is that we are able to utilize the eyes of our hearts more and more, to see God in Christ in ways that the eyes on our heads might never allow.
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