March 23, 2011 Wednesday: Second Week of Lent
from Encountering the Other, by Jean Vanier
Click to hear audio homily
Do you know what sin is? It's when there is a barrier between you and me. Between me and God, between me and myself. It is a wall, a wall so that we cannot speak to each other. We don't encounter others, because we are so certain that we are right; 'You have nothing to bring me. I don't need you.'
John the Baptist sees Jesus and says here is the Lamb of God who takes away this terrible barrier, which prevents us meeting ourselves, meeting the other, meeting truth and meeting God. And the first words of Jesus in this Gospel, as he turns around are, 'What are you looking for? What do you want?' (John 1:38) 'What is deepest within you? Where is your desire, your thirst, your hope? Jesus doesn't tell people what to do. He asks them a question. 'What are you seeking as you follow me?'
We have to begin to look at the places of conflict, but that isn't easy. Think how quickly conflict can arise inside a family and how people just shut off, living together without any communication, frightened of communication, frightened of announcing, even frightened of speaking to children!
We must listen to each other because that's where it all begins. We are losing what I would call the 'sacred space of listening.' To be people of peace we have to be at peace in ourselves and to be at peace in ourselves is not just being quiet, it is finding that unity in ourselves between head and heart.
Forgiveness is a long road. It is based on the knowledge that each person is important, that each person is precious, that each person can change, that I can change and you can change.
If you discover that somebody really loves you, really appreciates you, understands you, listens to you, then you begin to change. You come out from behind the barriers of fear you have constructed around your heart.
Click to hear audio homily
Do you know what sin is? It's when there is a barrier between you and me. Between me and God, between me and myself. It is a wall, a wall so that we cannot speak to each other. We don't encounter others, because we are so certain that we are right; 'You have nothing to bring me. I don't need you.'
John the Baptist sees Jesus and says here is the Lamb of God who takes away this terrible barrier, which prevents us meeting ourselves, meeting the other, meeting truth and meeting God. And the first words of Jesus in this Gospel, as he turns around are, 'What are you looking for? What do you want?' (John 1:38) 'What is deepest within you? Where is your desire, your thirst, your hope? Jesus doesn't tell people what to do. He asks them a question. 'What are you seeking as you follow me?'
We have to begin to look at the places of conflict, but that isn't easy. Think how quickly conflict can arise inside a family and how people just shut off, living together without any communication, frightened of communication, frightened of announcing, even frightened of speaking to children!
We must listen to each other because that's where it all begins. We are losing what I would call the 'sacred space of listening.' To be people of peace we have to be at peace in ourselves and to be at peace in ourselves is not just being quiet, it is finding that unity in ourselves between head and heart.
Forgiveness is a long road. It is based on the knowledge that each person is important, that each person is precious, that each person can change, that I can change and you can change.
If you discover that somebody really loves you, really appreciates you, understands you, listens to you, then you begin to change. You come out from behind the barriers of fear you have constructed around your heart.
