Dear brothers and sisters in Christ,
The eclipse yesterday was as beautiful as it was rare. A few years ago, while I was in the St.
Louis area, I saw the total eclipse. That was an amazing experience because I remember how the insects and the birds went silent for a couple of minutes when the eclipse event was at its darkest. As soon as the sunlight started to shine around the moon again, they resumed buzzing and singing loudly.
A friend mentioned to me as yesterday’s eclipse started that it was time to put on our special glasses. I instinctively looked up towards the sun before putting on the special shades as if to get my visual aim. All I could see of course was the full brightness of the sun like any other sunny day. I looked away quickly but that half a second glance was enough for me to see spots for a few minutes. I put the special glasses on and still saw that initial bright image of the sun.
However, once the sunspot in my eyes dissipated, I could see the beginning of the eclipse clearly. It was exciting to watch as the moon crept in between the sun and the earth. My visual focus changed because the special lenses filtered out what was not needed. The initial experience of looking directly at the sun was overwhelming. It was “real” in one sense, solely appearing as the full sun, but then again, so was the beginning of the eclipse real. So, we look at the situation again and this time a little differently.
Looking again at an important situation, relationship, or opportunity we are facing is a matter of discernment. The discernment process that informs and instructs us is like the filtering lenses in that pair of eclipse glasses. When we exercise patience, then the sunspots eventually go away, and we can see things for how they really are.
Jesus said in Jn. 14:27, “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.”
When we see what initially appears as real, in this case the blinding sun, we can be hit with all of its presenting intensity and become temporarily overwhelmed. But God does not equip us by giving us anxious thoughts. God gives peace.
When we use the special lenses of our faith, we can see the different reality unfolding. I am thinking about how first glances, opinions, and perspectives appear when we are operating on the world level Jesus spoke about. We often react based on our worldly perspectives. However, when we are operating out of a place of faith, the stuff we do not need tends to be filtered out and we are able to see what is really happening so that we can in turn respond in faith.
I am grateful whenever I see with my faith those things that otherwise might go unseen. Among them – peace in action, beauty celebrated, and confidence in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. I am a life-long learner, and I am looking forward to seeing what my faith reveals over the next twenty years, which is when the next total eclipse happens. So, when you see pictures of the eclipse or a pair of eclipse glasses somewhere, think of the lenses that saw beauty in what was really going on.
I wonder what your faith will see.
Enjoying the journey together,
Fr. Jon
