Seeing with the Heart

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

Have you ever noticed that two people can look at the exact same thing and walk away with completely different conclusions? One person sees beauty, while another sees nothing special. One hears good advice and changes, while another ignores it. That is what Jesus is talking about in today’s Gospel. The disciples ask Him, “Why do You speak to the crowds in parables?” Jesus explains that the issue is not that God wants to hide the truth. The problem is that many people have closed their hearts. They have eyes but do not really see, and ears but do not really listen. The greatest obstacle to hearing God’s voice is not a lack of intelligence, it is a closed heart.

Jesus often taught in parables because they invited people to think more deeply. A parable is like a mirror. If your heart is open, you discover something about God and about yourself. But if your heart is hard, you only hear another story. Think about the difference between reading a love letter and reading a shopping list. Both are made of words, but only one speaks to the heart. God’s Word is like that. The Bible is not simply information to be studied; it is an invitation to encounter the living God. The question is not, “Did I hear the Gospel?” The better question is, “Did I allow the Gospel to change me?”

Jesus tells His disciples that they are blessed because they see and hear what many prophets and righteous people longed to experience. We can easily take that for granted. We have the Scriptures, the Mass, the Eucharist, and the teachings of the Church available to us almost every day. Yet familiarity can sometimes make us less attentive. We can hear the Gospel every Sunday without allowing a single word to touch our lives. The gift is still there, but our hearts must be awake to receive it.

This Gospel reminds us that faith is more than knowing about Jesus. It is learning to recognize Him in everyday life. The Holy Spirit opens our eyes to see Christ in the poor, in our families, in moments of suffering, and even in ordinary daily routines. Holiness is not found only in extraordinary miracles. It is found in ordinary people who have learned to see God’s presence where others see nothing at all. That is why the saints were different. They did not have better eyesight than anyone else. They simply had hearts that were open to God.

So today, perhaps the Lord is asking us a simple but challenging question: Is your heart still teachable? Are you still willing to let God surprise you? Are you still listening when He speaks through His Word, through the Church, or through the people He places in your life? When we come before the Lord with humility, He never fails to reveal something new.

Prayer: Lord Jesus, thank You for speaking to us through Your Word. Forgive us for the times we have become distracted, indifferent, or closed to Your voice. Open our eyes to recognize Your presence, open our ears to hear Your truth, and open our hearts to live what You teach. May we never take Your Word for granted, but receive it with faith, humility, and joy. Help us to see with the heart, so that our lives may reflect Your love every day. Amen.

– Homily by Rev Fr Patrick Agbeko