Why don’t people answer the door?

The years between 1851 and 1853, William Holman Hunt embodied a deeply figurative and spiritual journey in a painting depicting Jesus knocking on an old wooden door. Though, this door that is overgrown with plants and dead vegetation leaves us with the suspicion it has not been opened in a while, the Lord seems to stand robustly waiting: “Here I am! I stand at the door and knock.” (Rev 3:20). And He firmly stands, with a glowing lantern, letting the light shines brightest near his hands, but softly illuminating His gentle face. He is Christ the King who obviously is venturing into the darkness and the pile of brambles to seek entry into our lives.

The door might be a symbol for the human mind and heart, at which Jesus awaits to be let in. But, outstandingly, the door does not have a handle! It is meant to symbolically convey the message that Christ does not force our will, but gently waits for our faithful response to His knocking and invitation… He can only enter if we open to him! (Rev 3:20) continues: “if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.”!!

But, a question remains: “Why so many of us don’t answer the door?”

• We aren’t “listeners to the Word”!

There is a lot of hustle and bustle in our lives! Some of us come to church and sit in front rows week after week but never get anything from it. It is because we have so many other voices in our heads that we miss His Living Presence and His Living Word and their efficiency! We are so pre-occupied with life outside of the church we never hear what’s going on inside. “God is the friend of silence” said once Saint Mother Teresa! Not only the silence of tongue but of the heart! God desires us to come to Him as we are, with all our concerns, but it is good at a certain point, to deliver these and make ourselves available to the Spirit. Silence of the heart, is the language of the spirit: it renders God’s presence and voice!

• We aren’t “hearers of the Word”!

 K. Rahner defines the human person, as a Hearer of the Word. “ In the New Testament, the word for "I hear you" in the Greek is (acuo = I hear you.) The word, "to be obedient" is ( hypacuo.) 

Acuo = I hear you; hypacuo= I am obedient, or I really hear you, I hyper-hear you, I hyper-listen! In Latin it is (audire:) I hear you; (obaudire), to be obedient, the intensifier: to really listen is to be obedient. “

Our problem sometimes lies, not by being unable to listen but by being unwilling to obey the Word of God, the Son of God! But He remains here: in front of our door, humble and the example to be followed: obedient to His father by nature. He listens to God so keenly that He Himself is the Word of God: “the substantial act of listening in the Trinity itself.” 

Anyhow, whatever the reason of not opening the door, this is not a healthy situation! Willing to hear and obey His voice is essential: Because, if we don’t hear His voice, we will get totally lost in our dark egocentric- isolationism. And, Beware! Lost sheep get eaten by the wolf!