But blessed are your eyes, because they see
26 JULY (Mt 13,16-17)
That the Old Testament prophets and righteous men desired to see the days of the Son of man, that is of the Messiah of the Lord, is a truth announced by Christ and confirmed by the Old Simeon. The Psalm reveals also this desire and expectation.
The Jews answered and said to him, “Are we not right in saying that you are a Samaritan and are possessed?” Jesus answered, “I am not possessed; I honor my Father, but you dishonor me. I do not seek my own glory; there is one who seeks it and he is the one who judges. Amen, amen, I say to you, whoever keeps my word will never see death.” (So) the Jews said to him, “Now we are sure that you are possessed. Abraham died, as did the prophets, yet you say, ‘Whoever keeps my word will never taste death.’ Are you greater than our father Abraham, who died? Or the prophets, who died? Who do you make yourself out to be?” Jesus answered, “If I glorify myself, my glory is worth nothing; but it is my Father who glorifies me, of whom you say, ‘He is our God.’ You do not know him, but I know him. And if I should say that I do not know him, I would be like you a liar. But I do know him and I keep his word. Abraham your father rejoiced to see my day; he saw it and was glad. So the Jews said to him, “You are not yet fifty years old and you have seen Abraham?” Jesus said to them, “Amen, amen, I say to you, before Abraham came to be, I AM.” So they picked up stones to throw at him; but Jesus hid and went out of the temple area. (Jn 8,48-59).
Now there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon. This man was righteous and devout, awaiting the consolation of Israel, and the holy Spirit was upon him. It had been revealed to him by the holy Spirit that he should not see death before he had seen the Messiah of the Lord. He came in the Spirit into the temple; and when the parents brought in the child Jesus to perform the custom of the law in regard to him, he took him into his arms and blessed God, saying: “Now, Master, you may let your servant go in peace, according to your word, for my eyes have seen your salvation, which you prepared in sight of all the peoples, a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and glory for your people Israel.” The child’s father and mother were amazed at what was said about him; and Simeon blessed them and said to Mary his mother, “Behold, this child is destined for the fall and rise of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be contradicted (and you yourself a sword will pierce) so that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed.” (Lk 2,25-35).
Open to me the gates of righteousness; I shall enter through them, I shall give thanks to the LORD. This is the gate of the LORD; The righteous will enter through it. I shall give thanks to You, for You have answered me, And You have become my salvation. The stone which the builders rejected Has become the chief corner stone. This is the LORD’S doing; It is marvelous in our eyes. This is the day which the LORD has made; Let us rejoice and be glad in it. O LORD, do save, we beseech You; O LORD, we beseech You, do send prosperity! Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the LORD; We have blessed you from the house of the LORD. The LORD is God, and He has given us light; Bind the festival sacrifice with cords [j]to the horns of the altar. You are my God, and I give thanks to You; You are my God, I extol You. Give thanks to the LORD, for He is good; For His loving-kindness is everlasting. (Psalm 118 (117) 19-29).
The Messiah, the Expected of nations, was the one that would have made the peace of God reign on our earth: peace unlike any other human peace. His days will be of a true spiritual tranquility, like those of Adam before his sin. It suffices reading the prophet Isaiah, and one will realize the splendor and beauty of his reign. A paradise on Earth. For this reason all died with this hope in his heart: “I am dying, but certainly the Messiah will come. Peace will reign on our earth.”
“But blessed are your eyes, because they see, and your ears, because they hear. Amen, I say to you, many prophets and righteous people longed to see what you see but did not see it, and to hear what you hear but did not hear it.
Jesus came. All the world is hostile to him. The disciples do not understand. The Pharisees oppose him. The scribes contest him. The high priests are against him. Crowds exploit him. Jesus lives a cosmic loneliness. Their expectations of sin do not correspond to the gift of grace and truth that Jesus announces them. A true conversion and the abandonment of every false idea fabricated by the mind of the Lord Jesus are needed. The new world, the world of peace, is in the Word of Jesus, not outside of it.
Virgin Mary, Mother of the Redemption, Angels, and Saints make us enjoy Christ.