Posted by The WORD in other words (2022) by Fr Sherwin Aromin SVD — Christ the King Seminary, Quezon City
Thursday 2nd Week of Lent
Photo: Wikimedia Commons
If there is a person who is difficult to deal with, it is the person whose heart is so hard—in Tagalog “matigas ang kanyang puso” or in Ilocano “natangken ti puso na” or in Bisaya “gahi ang iyang kasing kasing.” In short, the most challenging person to be with is the person whose theme song in his/her life is “pusong bato” (heart of stone).
People with hardened hearts are the most difficult to deal with because they pretend to close their eyes so as not to see the reality, and they close their ears so as not to hear the truth. And worst is that they can never agree or accept you because of their own biases or prejudices. Social media calls them “bashers.”
If you have in your family, community, or workplace a person whose heart is hardened and who is constantly bashing you, then you will probably need a lot of exorcism to drive out the demon inside that person.
In today’s Gospel, we read about the “bashers” of Jesus, accusing him of being in cahoots with the prince of devils, Beelzebul. But if we examine the reactions and accusations of these “bashers” of Jesus, it all boils down to their arrogance and pride, leading them not be to believe in Jesus’ capacity to do incredible miracles. Because of these conditions, they have hardened their hearts to Jesus.
Today as we continue our Lenten observance, we ask ourselves where our hearts belong – to a heart that is hardened like Satan or to a heart that is open and welcoming like the heart of Jesus. Our reflections and observances this Lenten Season are good reminders that Christ offered himself on the cross to soften our hearts so that his heart may truly live in our hearts.
Let us join St. Arnold Janssen our founder in his prayer, “May the Heart of Jesus live in the hearts of all,” and the psalmist who proclaims, “If today you hear his voice, harden not your hearts.” (Psalm 95, 8)
One comment