Page 22 - LOTN Spring Issue 49 2022

EDUCATION AND FORMATION

have rejected him; for the Lord does not see as mortals see; they obviously knows there is more to it; and “Jesus, looking at him,
look on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart.” loved him and said, ‘You lack one thing; go, sell what you own,
And so Samuel anoints the youngest son David. and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in
The Prophets Jeremiah and Isaiah echo the Psalmist in his heaven; then come, follow me’.” (Mk 10: 21)
wonder at the Lord’s knowledge of his created children. “Now At the end of his earthly life, when Jesus is thrice denied by
the word of the LORD came to me saying, ‘Before I formed his disciple Peter, “The Lord turned and looked at Peter. Then
you in the womb I knew you, and Peter remembered the word of the
before you were born, I consecrated Lord, how he had said to him, ‘Before
you; I appointed you a prophet to the the cock crows today, you will deny me
nations.’” (Jer. 1:4-5). And Isaiah has Do not look on his appearance three times.’ And he went out and wept
the same astonished realisation: “The or on the height of his stature, bitterly” (Lk 22:61). It is this look of
Lord called me before I was born, because I have rejected him; for Jesus, like a laser beam into the depths
while I was in my mother’s womb, he the Lord does not see as mortals of Peter’s unhappy, confused, frightened
named me” (Is. 49:1). see; they look on the outward heart, that brings realisation to Peter of
In the New Testament, we learn appearance, but the Lord looks on the depth of his Lord’s knowledge of
how God has come down to earth to the heart him and prompts a conversion of that
live amongst humanity, in the Person heart and his repentance is real. It is this
of His Son; and this Son brings the same look of the Lord that we encounter
knowledge the Father has of all of in the Sacrament of Confession and
His children. In the Sermon of the Mount, he reminds his that can bring us also to tears of repentance.
listeners of this knowledge – and it is probable that they all Yes indeed, this penetrating look of the Lord is a scary thing,
knew the Psalms and the Prophets – that the Father sees into but as the Psalmist, as the Prophets, as Peter came to understand,
all hearts and therefore knows whether we are being sincere in it is also a liberating experience, for it halts us in our headlong
our words and actions. He tells them to keep silence regarding flight from our Creator, calls us to a willing surrender, and
their actions and prayer life, to go into their “secret room” (their informs us that we have found a secure haven and a safe path
heart, the place of encounter with God), for “your Father who to follow.
sees in secret will reward you … your Father knows what you
need before you ask him” (Mt 61-8). O search me, God, and know my heart.
Jesus too looks into the hearts of human beings and discerns O test me and know my thoughts.
their true thought and desires, and this knowledge has a See that I follow not the wrong path,
profound effect on some. In Mark, we hear of the rich young and lead me in the path of life eternal.
man who asks Jesus, “What must I do to inherit eternal life?” (Ps 138/9: 23-4).
He assures Jesus that he has kept all the commandments but

The Daily Decalogue of Pope John XXIII

mong the many legacies of Pope St. John XXIII is necessary to the life of the body, so good reading is
is a joy-filled, practical spirituality. A lifelong necessary to the life of the soul.
Adiarist, he often used his personal writings to 6) Only for today, I will do one good deed and not tell
reflect on his progress in the spiritual life, and to set anyone about it.
goals for himself. One of those writings has come to 7) Only for today, I will do at least one thing I do not like
be known as “The Daily Decalogue of Pope John XXIII” doing; and if my feelings are hurt, I will make sure that no
which lists ten spiritual goals “Only for today”. one notices.
8) Only for today, I will make a plan for myself: I may not
1) Only for today, I will seek to live the livelong day follow it to the letter, but I will make it. And I will be on
positively without wishing to solve the problems of my guard against two evils: hastiness and indecision.
life all at once. 9) Only for today, I will firmly believe, despite appearances,
2) Only for today, I will take the greatest care of my that the good Providence of God cares for me as no one
appearance: I will dress modestly; I will not raise my voice; else who exists in this world.
I will be courteous in my behaviour; I will not criticize 10) Only for today, I will have no fears. In particular, I will
anyone; I will not claim to improve or to discipline anyone not be afraid to enjoy what is beautiful and to believe in
except myself. goodness. Indeed, for 12 hours I can certainly do what
3) Only for today, I will be happy in the certainty that I was might cause me consternation were I to believe I had to
created to be happy, not only in the other world but also do it all my life.
in this one.
4) Only for today, I will adapt to circumstances, without "Every believer in this world must be a spark of light, a core
requiring all circumstances to be adapted to my own of love, life-giving leaven in the mass: and the more he is so,
wishes. the more he will live, in his innermost depths, in communion
5) Only for today, I will devote 10 minutes of my time with God" Pope St. John XXIII
to some good reading, remembering that just as food

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