An Arrow Through the Heart

Saturday of the Thirty-First Week in Ordinary Time


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The Pharisees, who loved money, heard all these things and sneered at him. And he said to them, “You justify yourselves in the sight of others, but God knows your hearts; for what is of human esteem is an abomination in the sight of God.”

My freshman year of college I registered for an Intro to Archery class.  I thought:  What a cool opportunity to learn one of the oldest methods of hunting and defense.  Maybe I can "Wow" a Handsome "Bo" with my bow and arrow skills! 

Unfortunately, my inner romanticism clouded my judgment. I believed the archery class would be easy "A", but it turned out painfully difficult.   Each class left me with bruised arms, callused hands, and sore shoulders. I hit areas of my body more than the target itself!  Mid-point through the semester the instructor noticed my struggles.  She began working with me one-on-one and determined that I am left-eye dominant. Simply wearing an eye patch helped better aim the  arrows toward the bullseye.  Eventually I hit the target consistently and stopped bruising my arms.  I felt like Miss One-Eyed Robin Hood but without Little John or Friar Tuck.

I never picked up a bow and arrow ever again after I barely passed that archery class....

God knows our hearts.  He knows what we think, how we feel, and why we do what we do. We may think he doesn't notice our struggles.  We may curse him when we believe our lives are going nowhere.  The bow is broken and the arrows are used up.  We've shot an arrow here, there and everywhere  but out of reach of a target.  Do we even realize God's unconditional love is the target of choice? Why do we shoot off  arrows of fear, insecurity, rage and jealousy in all directions possibly wounding ourselves and others? 

We shoot an arrow into a pot of fool's gold only to discover riches do not buy happiness.  We knock over a whiskey or prescription pill bottle with arrows thinking we can drink away the pain.  We waste arrows promoting sexual indecency all in the name of personal freedom.

Why use the bow and arrow in sinful ways?  Hand the archery equipment over to God and trust in him.  He will not let us down.  In fact, through our faith he will pierce our own hearts with  arrows of unconditional love.   To God, we are his precious targets.  He hunts us down not to destroy us but  bring us the comfort, support, and wisdom that we all so desperately need! Our ultimate target is to get to heaven someday.  Why not let Our Lord, the perfect marksman, lead us on the right path?!

"Father-like he tends and spares us;
Well our feeble frame he knows;
In his hand he gently bears us,
Rescues us from all our foes.
Alleluia! Alleluia!
Widely yet his mercy flows."

-Divine Office Saturday Morning Prayer Hymn


-J.