Science has become the arbiter of many truth claims about the material world, and we have benefitted greatly from the scientific method. But science fails to provide answers about the values and meaning we attach to that world, which are really the most significant questions. While some may seek refuge in skepticism or relativism, which diminish the significance of meaning, the circumstances of life seem designed to nudge us toward finding a foundation, a place to stand. As Pope Benedict XVI has observed, “Meaning is the bread on which man, in the intrinsically human part of his being, subsists. Without the word, without meaning, without love, he falls into the situation of no longer being able to live, even when earthly comfort is present in abundance.” (Introduction to Christianity, p. 73) As Christians, the person of Jesus Christ becomes the foundation for meaning. Encounters with Jesus form and shape our belief, as Paul’s letter demonstrates. Despite what seemingly provided a good foundation for his former views – he had been there, done that, and you can’t match it – an encounter with Jesus caused him to abandon his prideful adherence to a path of resistance, which gave way to belief. This passage does not allow us to reach any ultimate conclusions about the belief of any individuals in these two groups who were listening to Jesus. Perhaps some in both groups experienced changes of heart in response to the word spoken to them. I know that what I hear often depends on the attitude in my heart toward the person who is speaking. When I start out with enmity or even skepticism, it is easy to find fault in the message or, failing that, with the messenger. Such a response usually begins by injecting distance from that person, rather than drawing near to that person to really hear them. Without drawing near to God, we cannot find belief. We may wish to be an objective observer, carefully weighing the evidence first before we enter the relationship. But in many ways, loving God is like loving another person: being a mere observer does not work. As Pope Benedict has noted, “[God] can only impinge on the vision of him who enters into the experiment with God – the experiment that we call faith. Only by entering does one experience; only by cooperating in the experiment does one ask at all; and only he who asks receives an answer.” (Introduction to Christianity, p. 176). It is good to pause, to draw near, and to listen. May God also give us the gift of being disposed toward seeing and believing in the works of God that are all around us, and may the words of the Psalmist resonate with us, “Let hearts rejoice who search for the Lord.” |