Focus

Today’s readings show us the difference of having our focus on God.

In the gospel, Jesus just healed a possessed man. We can see two reactions – one set of people were amazed in Jesus’ power, and one set was very opposed to it.

In construction, a hard hat protects people from injuries. On the road, helmets provide motorists support and protection. However, we see in the gospel that the Pharisees’ hardness of heart prevents them from accepting Christ as God in their lives.

Having a closed and hardened heart makes it impossible to see the goodness in other people, in this case, even to Jesus himself. Because of that, they missed the very reason for living – Jesus. No amount of miracle or good deed will be enough for someone whose heart is closed to someone or to something. A hardened heart chooses to focus on the negative rather than the positive.

In the first reading, we see a people focusing on the negative. They were not focused on God. Their hearts were closed to God, and God was certainly not pleased with them. When they lost their focus on God, they started to do evil things and eventually led a life opposite what God wants.

Is my heart hardened? Is my heart and my life focused on God? Do I choose to see the goodness in other people, or do I focus on their shortcomings? Am I focused on serving and loving God, or on loving and pleasing myself? What can I do to be able to continually focus on God and see the goodness in people and circumstances?

Dear God,

I praise and adore you for all that you are. Father God, I know how great, loving and powerful you are. However, there are times that I still lose my focus on you, and for that I am sorry. Sorry for wanting to get things my way and not yours. Sorry for wanting things and attention to myself and not only on you. Sorry for letting my emotions get the better of me, instead of praying and giving you control over things. Lord, I know how great you are, and I just want to ask for your help that I may always seek your will, and that I always focus on you, no matter how good or bad a situation may be. All this I ask in Jesus name, Amen.

Have a blessed Tuesday!

God bless!

In Christ,

-g-