Makuha ka sa tingin!
Elder people often use this phrase in instilling discipline among
their young ones in public. To spare them from embarrassment before their
friends, they avoided verbal communications in correcting their children;
employing gazes instead of words. It is
a gaze that needs few words or no words at all to communicate what the other
wants to relate to another. It is a meaningful eye contact.
In the gospel, Jesus called out Matthew in two words "Follow
me." Without further explanations or questionings, Matthew got up and
followed Jesus. Caravaggio portrayed the
calling of Matthew in a celebrated painting that hangs in Contarelli Chapel, located
within the church of San Luigi dei Francesi in Rome. In that painting, one
would see that there is something the way Jesus looked at Matthew. We can say
"Nakuha sa tingin si San Mateo," that even in just two words he got
up from his seat and followed Jesus.
What is it in the gaze of Jesus? How did He look at Matthew?
In the eyes of Jesus, there is mercy. He looked at Matthew
compassionately. God's mercy and
compassion move Him to reach out towards man despite the lethargic attitude of
man towards God. Despite his sinfulness and unworthiness, Christ called
Matthew. He did not wait for Matthew to be good enough, for it is God's grace that
would bring out the best in him. Moved by that gaze of Christ, Matthew God up
and embraced his vocation as an evangelist. He immediately threw a party
probably to introduce Christ to his fellow tax collectors; to share what he
experience; the mercy of God.
The Good News is Christ look at you the way He looked at Matthew.
Christ sees you mercifully and he chooses you. God reaches out to you, whatever
you are doing in life, whatever you have become in life. God meets you where
you are, e.g., sinful life, being a lapsed Catholic, someone struggling to be
holy, one in search for answers and explanations about our faith, etc. As
Christ looks at you and chooses you, how do you respond in His merciful and
compassionate gaze? How do you return that merciful and compassionate gaze of
God?
Will you get up from where you are sitting; from where you are
sinning; and follow Him?
Only when we stand up from our sinfulness, that we can embrace
Christ, to embrace the life he is giving to us. Only when we stand up against
sinfulness, that we can preach truthfully the grace and forgiveness we
experience through the merciful and compassionate gaze of Christ.
Makuha sana tayo sa tingin ni Kristo!
Mapasa Dios nawa tayo sa pagtingin natin kay Kristo!
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