Elijah asks his servant to go out and see. Six times the servant goes and sees nothing. On the seventh, he sees a small cloud coming from the sea.
The verb "to see" caught my attention today and made me think about all those times when something or someone was happening, or has been happening around me and I had absolutely no clue. I remember that once I heard about the great talent that a person had, I was living with this person in the same religious house but never saw him as a talented person.
I feel very close to the servant. Many times God has to tell me to go out and see, and only after many times I can see the great things He does in my life. I am getting better but I continue to pray that my eyes may be opened.
When we do open our eyes, we are able to see the marvels that God does; the Gospel wants us today to live with a righteousness that "is greater than that of the scribes and pharisees." These people were famous for being righteous, how can we be more righteous than they? I think we can do this by opening our eyes and seeing what's happening.
Jesus wants us to live more righteously especially when it comes to our relationship with others. By opening our eyes, we can see the other as always new. What we think about the person who is next to us shapes the way we behave, the way we listen, the way we talk. If I think that the person next to me is annoying then everything will reflect this thought: my eyes movements, my body language, my mind (drifting), etc. But if, by an act of will and an act of Love, I see that person as new, and most especially i see in that person God who lives within that person, I can change everything.
It is obvious to me that Jesus values relationships above all things. This new way of seeing others must reach every dimension of our lives and even goes beyond the boundaries of right/wrong. It goes even before our worship of God - if we think of someone who has something against us (and not us against the person), we have to reach out to that person, making sure that the relationship is sound. Then, we can go and worship God. Why? Because it is not possible to love God whom we do not see if we do not love the brother whom we see.
Now, these two dimensions - God and neighbor - are intertwined, and it's impossible to see where one ends and the other begins.
Jesus wants us to live this "greater righteousness" and bring it into the world. It's what allows me to see the other, especially the opponent, in a different light: now we know that God lives in those people, too.
It may take us seven time, or more; but what matters is that we start asking God to open our eyes and constantly go out there and see what God is creating around us. At the end of the day, when we examine our consciences we can tell God that we saw the little clouds. It will be these clouds that will create a great outpouring of Love into our hearts which will become a blessing for us and for all those we meet.
Today I want to see every person I meet as "new." I know they are bringing the great outpouring of grace and love my soul greatly needs.
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