Nothing Goes Unnoticed

“Are not five sparrows sold for two small coins? Yet not one of them has escaped the notice of God. Even the hairs of your head have all been counted. Do not be afraid. You are worth more than many sparrows. (Luke 12:6-7)

When life is overwhelming and I feel like no one would notice if I just disappeared, this gospel speaks the truth. Not only does God know everything about each one of us from the number of hairs on our head to the thoughts that race through our minds and the fear that reigns in our hearts. We mean something to Him! We are precious in his eyes.

“There is nothing concealed that will not be revealed, nor secret that will not be known. Therefore whatever you have said in the darkness will be heard in the light…” (Luke 12:2-3)

When I read and meditate on this gospel I think what it is saying is that the parts of ourselves that we try to hide from others, ourselves and God will be brought into the light and the real person that we are will be known to all. We make ourselves look good to the world but the inside is full of evil doings. Jesus denounced the Pharisees, “Woe to you scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites. You cleanse the outside of cup and dish, but inside they are full of plunder and self-indulgence.” (Matthew 23:25) We do the same thing; we polish the outside, that which the world will see, but what is inside defiles us. We need to do everything possible to make things right with God, not the world. The things of this world are passing but the state of our souls will decide eternity. So we need to work on purifying those parts of ourselves that we keep hidden so that people will think we are good. I went to confession yesterday and confessed my prideful, selfish, unforgiving acts of sinfulness and felt renewed afterward, ready to take on the world with my armor of Christ. But a part of me wanted to tell the priest that I really am a good person, he just has to hear the dirt. I wanted him to see the “polished” part of me yet in truth he was seeing the better part, a soul whose sins had be absolved by the grace of God.

Other times I think that it is saying that God knows what is happening in the darkness. He knows of each of those times that we were abused or someone wronged us. He knows about the times that we have cried out in the darkness because of fear or pain and our cries reached to the heavens but all we felt was abandonment and silence. He will bring to light all of these things that happened and make everything right. He will show us that he was with us all along, that we were never alone and that during most of those dark moments he was carrying us through just as he carried the cross to Calvary to die for all the sins of mankind.

Lord, help me to be at peace and know that one day everything will be brought into the light and we will see things as you see them in all your glory. Amen.