“Whoever Has Ears Ought to Hear” by Melanie Rigney (@melanierigney)

“Whoever Has Ears Ought to Hear” by Melanie Rigney

Tuesday of the Thirty-third Week in Ordinary Time

 

Corrado Giaquinto [Public domain]
via Wikimedia Commons.

“For you say, ‘I am rich and affluent and have no need of anything,’ and yet do not realize that you are wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, and naked. I advise you to buy from me gold refined by fire so that you may be rich, and white garments to put on so that your shameful nakedness may not be exposed, and buy ointment to smear on your eyes so that you may see. Those whom I love, I reprove and chastise. Be earnest, therefore, and repent. Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, [then] I will enter his house and dine with him, and he with me. I will give the victor the right to sit with me on my throne, as I myself first won the victory and sit with my Father on his throne. Whoever has ears ought to hear what the Spirit says to the churches.” (Rev. 3:17-22)

I will seat the victor beside me on my throne.  (Rev. 3:21)

Jesus looked up and said, "Zacchaeus, come down quickly, for today I must stay at your house."  And he came down quickly and received him with joy. (Luke 19:5-6)

Piety

Spirit, open my ears to Your divine messages.

Study

The seven churches of Asia named in the opening chapters of Revelation all had their strong points… and the places where evil was testing them. Of the two cited in today’s first reading, Sardis is warned to repent; Laodicea’s lukewarmness to the Lord is noted.

Now, I suppose one could attempt to tie the shortcomings of the churches to those of the Catholic Church today. However, that would have to be someone far more learned than me. Rather, I started considering how the admonitions might apply a little closer to home… the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit: wisdom, understanding, counsel, fortitude, knowledge, piety, and fear of the Lord. According to the Catechism of the Catholic Church, they produce the fruits of charity, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, generosity, faithfulness, modesty, self-control, and chastity.

But those fruits can be choked when we choose not to listen to the Holy Spirit. Without fortitude, faithfulness, self-control, and chastity can go by the wayside. Kindness, goodness, and generosity die on the vine without understanding. We can have none of the fruits long term without fear of the Lord when we define that fear as reverence and gratitude for His many gifts and presence in our lives.

The counsel to the churches of Asia was, in essence, to continue to grow spiritually, in faith, in courage, in humility. That counsel applies to us as well. Our call as Christians is not to rest on our laurels, to puff out our chests with pride, or to flagellate ourselves mercilessly for our many flaws. Rather, it’s to be constantly vigilant, our ears always open to the Spirit’s direction.

Action

Stop and listen. What is the Spirit saying to you today?