callous
“They have eyes to see but do not see, and ears to hear but do not hear, for they are a rebellious house.” – Ezekiel 12: 2
There’s a Tagalog word for people spoken of in our key passage — manhid. Extremely, you may call them bato. Stone-cold.
Moral Theology calls the conscience of such persons “callous.” They no longer have regard for what’s right or wrong. But a person with a rebellious heart is like that — he may look but not see, hear but not listen — even if it stares him right in the face.
My last encounter with this kind was with a married lay preacher who has an open affair with another woman — with both that woman and the wife knowing about it.
What’s even more shocking is that all of them seem to be OK with the arrangement. The preacher insists he knows what he’s doing, and goes on preaching and alternating his women.
So, he blinds his eyes and deafens his ears to what others say about his affair. Because the only person he will see and listen to is himself.
God forgive me. I am a poor sinner, too.
And I ask God for His daily grace for my heart not to be hardened — lest it turns into a rebellious house.Alvin Barcelona (alvinbarcelona@gmail.com)
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REFLECTION:
How can we be accepting and nonjudgmental while speaking out for righteousness and guarding ourselves against indifference and moral
numbness?
Dear Lord, forgive me for the times I’ve chosen to be blind and deaf towards loving You and others more. Amen.
St. Stephen of Hungary, pray for us.
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