Jesus had told His disciples the world would not accept His revelation (Jn 14:17), but He would reveal Himself to His disciples (Jn 14:21). His disciple Jude asked Jesus why He would reveal Himself to the disciples, but not to the world (Jn 14:22). This is a good question.

Jesus does reveal Himself to the world, but it doesn’t fully listen to Him. Many listen to Jesus without hearing, and look without seeing (Mt 13:14-15). Those who have received Jesus’ revelation are open to receive more of it, while those who have closed themselves to what Jesus has been trying to reveal to them will lose even the little they thought they knew of Him (Mt 13:12).

Today’s first reading shows an example of this principle. The Holy Spirit, speaking through St. Paul, tries to reveal Jesus to the people of Lystra (Acts 14:9ff). Despite God’s revelation, the townspeople won’t listen. Lystra rejects the message and the messenger, stones Paul, and leaves him for dead (Acts 14:19). The people of some other towns do listen to Paul and receive the revelation of Jesus (Acts 14:20-26).

God will reveal Himself to us even if we are misguided (see Acts 14:15) as long as we are seeking Him with a spirit of openness. Jesus even revealed Himself to Pontius Pilate (Jn 18:36ff), who at least appeared to be partially listening to Him. However, if we are closed to Jesus and are not seeking Him, as was King Herod, Jesus may have nothing to reveal to us because we are closed to His revelation (Lk 23:9). Listen to Jesus (Lk 10:39).

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