Saturday of the Twenty-seventh Week in Ordinary Time
“Earth’s crammed with heaven, and every common bush afire with God: But only he who sees takes off his shoes. …”
This partial quote from E.B. Browning‘s Aurora Leigh might be a hint of a heartfelt gasp of joy and wonder coming from a person of distant times and circumstances, and yet it captures a universal moment of insight. We can join her and other poets down through the generations who stood in admiration before the mystery of God having touched our earth and our lives. We can sense the impulsive need for the woman in today’s Gospel to joyfully declare in simple language what was in her heart. It was the wondrous mystery of the God of the Universe giving the privilege of motherhood to a humble woman who nourished her Creator.
Jesus acknowledged the privilege. He then extended the awesome insight and blessing to include all who truly listen to the Word of God and observe it. Nurturing and listening become elevated to an even higher level of intimacy. Responding to God’s Word allows the divine fire to enflame, sear, and bond all that is unattached. The reality factor, however, means that while we believe this to be true we also accept the need for time and suffering to fully remove our shoes. Only then, do we become the blind beggar who can finally say “Lord, I want to see!”
Reflection by Fr. Daniel Petsche, OSB
Posted in Articles for Ordinary Time, Daily Reflections