It has been said that we have never been so divided. Not as a nation, not as a world, not even as a Church. It has been said that we have never been so polarized, so angry, so against someone or something. History would dispute the claim that we are the worst in history. We have been divided, polarized, angry and against someone or something since the beginning when Cain killed his brother Abel. Unfortunately, because of original sin, we will always be an imperfect people in an imperfect world.
How we see the world around us is not just a matter of individual personality. Is the glass half full or half empty? The real question is: Is the glass able to be filled? Are we truly open to transformation and the positive changes that come from the very grace of God that opens our eyes to the blessings all around us?
We live in a fast-paced world of instant communications. There is a big difference between our first look at things and our second look. Our first look is mostly hardwired. It is part of our instinct. Our first look is automatic and rooted in the seven deadly sins. Our first look is the most judgmental. Our first look is incomplete and because of that, unfortunately, our first judgments are typically wrong.
It takes a second look to move us beyond our instant instincts, learned prejudices and quick judgments. Our second look moves past all superficial things. Our second look is only possible because of our spiritual nature. This is the soul — the breath of God at our conception. We are given the hardwired gifts of faith, hope and love. We are given the desire for the virtues above and beyond our human nature. We seek the deeper value in life and are able to see a person’s heart and soul. Our second look is the most compassionate.
Our first look at ourselves is typically in the mirror. We compare ourselves to what the screens of this world show us and we can critically judge ourselves by this world’s standards. Are we a people of success or failure? Winners or losers? Beautiful or well, just old and wrinkled?
With a second look at ourselves, we remember that we are created in the image and likeness of God. No sin, not even death, can take away the goodness and value God has given to all God’s children, without exception. In a world obsessed with what we don’t have, it takes a second look to recognize that God has given us everything we need to meet any real need we have.
We can’t get rid of our first look. We just need prayer, the grace of the sacraments and the desire for virtue to take that second look. We can miss what God is doing this Christmas season if we become too preoccupied with the merriment of mere mortals. To grow spiritually we need to continually look past our first reactions.
It is the second look that is part of spiritual conversion — a change in how we see ourselves and how we see the world around us. We look at evil and on the second look we see how good always triumphs over evil. We look at sin and on the second look we see the power of forgiveness. We look at the cross of the crucifixion and on second look we see the sign of our faith. We look at death and on the second look we see our belief in eternal life.
We come to each Mass and our first look sees a little piece of bread and a little cup of wine. But on our second look, we see the person and real presence, body, blood, soul and divinity of Jesus Christ.
One way to prepare ourselves for the heaven that is yet to come is to take a second look and see the heaven that is already here.
