Engaged: Seeing is Believing … and Loving

I have been reflecting on the references to seeing as a condition of believing. On Divine Mercy Sunday, we heard John’s account of the disciples seeing Jesus, and rejoicing, and later, Thomas’ conversion upon seeing the Lord, with his wounds, and believing.

There are other accounts:  Jesus restoring sight to the man born blind. The Centurion asking Jesus to cure his servant, saying he, the Centurion, knew without seeing, that the Lord’s will would be done.

So many times in life, we just have to have faith and know what we have in our hearts will be so. It just..is meant to be, we just “know” it. This is true faith in action.

If I were involved in engaged couples’ ministry, I’d ask each person; “You know you are in love with the other person, and you know you want to marry them, and that you are ready to make this a lifetime commitment, your vow to each other.. But how do you know?  What proof did you need? A ring, The “ask”?  It has to be more than these physical things.

It must be your own miracle.

You recognized the signs. You prayed that this was “the one” with whom you will spend your life, and you know that prayer is affirmed.

This is an end and a beginning. There is so much more to “see”, yes, but to hear, experience, touch, discover, understand (and misunderstand), forgive and ask forgiveness.

But it all starts with believing.

You see who is in front of you, god’s gift to you and to them in return for the joy of knowing your prayers have literally been answered.

God, in His grace, has given you “sight” and “belief”.

Do you see it?

Do you believe it?

God knows what you both need.

See it, listen to it and embrace this most holy gift.