All of us from time to time have enjoyed playing “peek-a-boo” with an infant.  For an infant, only what is seen continues to exist.  When we hide ourselves behind some sort of veil, an infant reacts with confusion and concern, because for a while we have ceased to exist.  When we reveal ourselves again to the infant, they erupt into a smile for they are comforted once again by the presence of someone who is important to them.  This can cause “separation anxiety” to small children who become frightened when their parents leave for a night out because they have not yet learned that the persons that they love will soon return home safely to them.  When a beloved parent leaves them for a time they can feel alone and abandoned.  Hopefully, as we grow and mature, we move beyond this anxiety, as we begin to understand that something can exist even though it is not seen.  Spiritual maturity comes to us when we begin to understand that the most real, important, valuable and powerful things that exist in life are the things that are unseen in our lives.  We learn the value of faith which is “the realization of what is hoped for and evidence of things not seen.” (Heb 11,1)  

    Conversely, in our spiritual immaturity, we can believe that it is only the things that others can see that can make us truly visible in life.  We want to be seen and noticed and so we “put on” the trappings of material life.  We are deceived into believing that if we put on make-up, fine clothes, expensive cars, power suits, impressive titles, physical prowess and other trappings of material existence that we will be “more seen”, more real and of more substance to others.  The world affirms this illusion by paying more attention to people with material wealth, power and position.  In this scenario, if we were to lose our material goods, we would fall into nothingness.  To leave behind our material goods and the possessions of this world seems like “insanity” to people in the world.  How easy it is to fall into the trap of thinking that we are really something when in fact, we are nothing.  Jesus warns the crowds at one point of his ministry:  “Take care to guard against all greed, for though one may be rich, one’s life does not consist of possessions.” (Luke 12,15)  Possessions and material riches will not give us more life.

    Adam and Eve were tricked into thinking that they would “really be something” if they ate from the tree of “knowledge”, and that they would be like gods.  If fact, in disobeying the will of God and forsaking God’s love and friendship, they became as nothing, invisible to God and naked, afraid and ashamed before the world. (Gen 3,9ff)  

    After Jesus is baptized by John in the Jordan, he is driven by the Spirit into the wilderness (Mark 1,12).  From that time on, Jesus lives on this earth “driven by the Spirit”.  Jesus leaves his home, his family and all of his earthly goods and goes out into the world to preach the gospel of the Kingdom.  This causes his own relatives and other people to think that, “He is out of his mind.” (Mark 3,21)  The scribes accuse him of being possessed by Beelzebub.  Jesus rebuts their claims by pointing out that he is driving out the “spirit of the flesh/world” and this would be directly contrary to the work of Satan.  Jesus has tied up the “strong” and contrary spirit of materialism and desires of the flesh and is now totally possessed by the Spirit of God, pursuing the riches of God’s kingdom.  To blaspheme against the Holy Spirit would be unforgivable as it would place us in a constant position of opposition to God’s Holy Will.  St. Paul tells us in his letter to the Romans: “For those who live according to the flesh are concerned with the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the spirit with the things of the spirit.  The concern of the flesh is death, but the concern of the spirit is life and peace.  For the concern of the flesh is hostility toward God; it does not submit to the law of God, nor can it; and those who are in the flesh cannot please God.  But you are not in the flesh; on the contrary, you are in the spirit, if only the Spirit of God dwells in you.” (Rom 8,5-9)

    When the family of Jesus arrives, Jesus points out what truly makes us a kindred spirit with him:  “For whoever does the will of God is my brother and sister and mother.” (Mark 3,35)  Seeking the Father’s Holy Will, submitting to that Will and forsaking all other things in life is what leads us into a truly full and blessed life.  Jesus didn’t come into the world to be seen by the world but only to be seen by the Father as fulfilling his Will and obediently accomplishing the work of salvation, as he says on the night of his Passion, “Not what I will but what you will.” (Mark 14,36)  The most sane person is the person who seeks to live always in God’s will, driven by the Spirit of God and seeking the things that are lasting and eternal, not the things that are illusory and passing away.  Don’t be hostile to the Spirit but allow the Spirit of God to dwell always in your heart!