In the Michigan State Police, and in other settings, there’s a phrase often called “tunnel vision,” and it refers to being so focused on something, that you don’t notice other things. In particular, this phrase is used when pursuing a vehicle. The tendency is to stay so focused on that vehicle, that you can totally miss other vehicles on the road, and whether or not they’re stopping for you or getting over to the side of the road. The solution to tunnel vision is another phrase we like to use, “keep you head on a swivel,” meaning, keep looking around at your surroundings, and not only on the car that you’re chasing right in front of you.
Tunnel vision is a form of blindness. Your eyes still work, but they’re so focused on that one thing, that you miss everything else going on. And we hear about this especially in our first reading and Gospel today. In the first reading, Samuel the prophet sees the sons of Jesse, and is so fixated on a strong, leader-looking son to be the next king of Israel, that at first, Samuel fails to see as God sees. We humans see the appearance, “but the Lord looks into the heart.” Only when David appears, who is the youngest, but still ruddy and handsome to behold, does God reveal the son of Jesse who is to be the next king of Israel. Later on we learn that David has a radical trust in God, which is precisely what God wanted in a king for Israel, and which allowed small David to conquer the giant, Goliath.
In the Gospel, we hear about two blind people: the man born blind and the Pharisees. The man born blind has physical blindness, and yet is able to see the spiritual realities. The Pharisees can physically see, but they are blind to the work of God. The man born blind recognizes Jesus in the beginning as a prophet of God, and later, as the Son of God. The Pharisees see Jesus as, at best, a nuisance, and at worst, a person who leads others away from God and keeping the sabbath law and the laws of Moses.
I think that we’re all suffering, at least a little, and in many cases, a lot, from tunnel vision. We are so focused on one thing, that we fail to see the other things around us. And of course, that one thing right now, is COVID-19/Coronavirus. It’s almost all we hear and see on the news. It has led to the cancellation of public Masses. It’s on our minds as we drive on empty roads around town. It’s certainly our focus at the grocery store as we buy beyond our need and, as has happened so often recently, even beyond any sense of reason. We focus on the virus when we think about touching someone, or even coming closer than 6 feet to another person. Some have lost jobs, or at least lost hours at work. We can no longer dine-in at restaurants. It has become, in many ways, the all-encompassing focus of our lives. And because there are still so many unknowns, and no known cure at this point, we focus on all the negatives, which only drives us to more fear.
I will admit, I’ve been in this same boat. On my mind has been: How do we make the Mass available to people? Are the people I encounter carriers? Are they more vulnerable? How low is the collection going to be? Which bills should we pay? Will the school open up after Spring Break, or will it be closed for the rest of the school year? Will I be able to visit people at the hospital who are sick and need the sacraments? How can we provide faith-building materials for people in the midst of our changing schedule? And on an on it goes. It seems like that’s all that’s on my mind, and I’m sure you feel the same way, too!
But, because I have suffered form tunnel vision, I have missed seeing things that God also wants me to see. Just last Monday, while walking from the rectory to the office, the sun was shining, and there were the first, small flowers blooming by the school, with their little lavender petals and a bright yellow circle in the middle. And I realized that I was blind to the other things that God is doing. Spring is springing, flowers are starting to bloom; my perennials are pushing up through the soil, the temperature is warming (ever so slightly). Have we noticed that? What else are we missing? There is a generally greater awareness of caring for our neighbors, making sure that they have enough food and supplies. Hopefully, even as Masses are cancelled, people will recognize their need for the Eucharist, and not see Sunday Mass as merely an obligation, but a chance to worship God and be nourished by His Word and the Body and Blood of Jesus. Maybe people are learning new devotions to feed their daily prayer life, and/or reading the Bible more. What happens when you have tunnel vision is that you miss all those things. But if you keep your head on a swivel, you can notice that, even in the midst of the very real and great challenges in which we find ourselves, God is doing great things.
Today, I invite you, to think about what positive things are happening in your life. What is God doing with, for, and in you that is positive? Can you recognize the good things that God is doing in your life, in the lives of your family and friends, and in the world around you? They are there; you simply have to look for it. Keep you head on a swivel!
