Road to Fifty Reflections: Day 6

This morning, Fr. Simon Peter said that many of us, like Herod in today’s Gospel, only "know" about Jesus. We hear stories, we know His teachings, BUT we do not always come to that 'deeper knowing' that comes from REAL encounter and relationship. 

The danger of staying at the level of CURIOSITY is that it DOES NOT CHANGE US. 

Herod was curious, but he remained restless, even fearful, because he never allowed himself to truly know Jesus. Deep in his heart, Jesus was a 'threat.'

The same happens in our relationships with others. 

Often, we “know” people the way we know celebrities... we hear about them, see their image and make quick judgments based on shallow impressions. It becomes easy to criticize, hate or dismiss them because we have never truly sought to understand them... to encounter their struggles. 

Just as curiosity about Jesus without intimacy left Herod unsettled, our superficial “knowing” of others leaves room for judgment rather than compassion.

BUT when we 'ginōskō' Jesus, we begin to see others through His eyes... Deep knowledge of Him draws us into His mercy, patience and love. It teaches us that every person is more than rumors, appearances or first impressions. 

To know Jesus DEEPLY is to be TRANSFORMED into people who no longer judge from a distance, but who approach others with understanding and love.

*I'm still a long way to "ginōskō" 🙏

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*My reflections from today's Gospel, Luke 9:7–9 and Fr. Simon Peter's homily on γινώσκω (ginōskō), Greek word for true knowing.

"Love follows knowledge ~ quote attributed to St. Thomas of Aquinas