Have you ever heard a prophet? Hopefully we all have as we listen to the words proclaimed week after week. Hopefully the homily draws us closer to God and helps us to respond to the good news that Jesus and his church wants proclaimed. Yet how often does the phrase, “Hard of face and obstinate of heart” describe us? Are we too distracted to listen? Too caught up in our own thoughts and desires to listen to God?
Do we follow the example mentioned in the psalm and keep “our eyes are fixed on the Lord”? It is easy for us to get distracted by the many issues around us. Even Paul had difficulties as he said, “a thorn in the flesh was given to me, an angel of Satan, to beat me, to keep me from being too elated.” Have we ever thought that the difficulties and challenges we face are part of God’s helping to not become to elated, so that his power may be made perfect in our weakness?
We all look for compliments on how we are doing and expect our family and friends to be our biggest supporters. Yet even for Jesus, with the miracles and preaching, had people scoff at him and say, “Where did this man get all this?” “And they took offense at him.” Sometimes the hardest people to reach out to are our own family and friends.
Countenance of God 