THE MAN WITH FAR SEEING EYES

PRAYER MOMENT 

Monday 13 December 2014

THE MAN WITH FAR SEEING EYES

             

Pause. Enter into the stillness of God within.

Reading: “The man with far seeing eyes … sees a hero arising from their stock … not in the present … not close at hand.” (Numbers 24:2 …17)

Reflection. As we go through Advent we suddenly get the story of Balaam, a gentile in the time of the Judges who knows the God of Israel and refuses the request of Balak, king of Moab, to curse Israel. Instead Balaam, whose donkey talks to him and nudges him in the right direction,  blesses Israel and sees in the distant future a ruler arising from the their stock who will rule ‘countless peoples.’ The story cautions us to realise that it takes time for us individually and as the people of God to accept and understand and own the coming of God into our world. The Jews looked for a Messiah but many did not recognise him when he came. We look for God to solve our problems but we do not recognise him when he is in our midst. We too need those ‘far seeing eyes.’

Prayer. Lord, give far seeing eyes to know how you work actively in each of us and in all of us as your people.. Amen.  

David Harold-Barry SJ