When We Pay Attention

But Peter looked intently at him, as did John, and said, “Look at us.” // Acts 3:4

When my middle daughter was about three years old, she became suddenly defiant. She refused to listen to what I said, ignoring my requests and instructions and blissfully going about her day without listening to me. It got so bad that I took a book out of the library about the normal habits and quirks of three-year-olds, hoping to find out if this was a normal developmental phase, or something to worry about.

Then, one day, a thought dawned on me: what if she couldn’t hear me? What if she was not being willfully disobedient, but could literally not hear what I was asking her to do?

So from the front seat of the car, I said in a low but audible voice, “Hey sweetie, do you want to go get some ice cream?”

Nothing. No response. At the pediatrician a couple of days later my suspicions were confirmed: No oppositional disorders. Just a double ear infection.

I felt awful! How had my baby girl been suffering an ear infection so bad she couldn’t hear, and I just didn’t notice?

Every one of the people in the healing story in the First Reading (see Acts 3:1-10) had to be attentive and play their part. The crippled man’s friends carried him to the Beautiful Gate daily. The man sat there, watching for people to pass and asking for their help. Peter and John faithfully came to pray in the temple. All the people who witnessed the healed man jumping and praising were amazed. This healing—and the glory it brought to the name of Jesus—would have been impossible without the faithful participation of every person who was mentioned.

I wonder which area of your life could use a little more attention today, a little change in perspective or extra dose of charity? Where are you being called to look closely, to see what is right in front of you? Maybe things are not quite as they seem, as with my daughter’s apparent choice to ignore me. How often we assume malicious intent in our relationships, and rush to feel offended, when really the person in front of us is just acting out of their own woundedness. 

 

Lord, we pray that we will have eyes to look intently, as Peter and John did, to see clearly, and to act boldly in Your Holy Name.