SETTING ASIDE DISTRACTIONS

SETTING ASIDE DISTRACTIONS

Fr Luke A Veronis

How many of us feel distracted? Our minds are so preoccupied with many things? We live in a fragmented world. Our attention is constantly divided. Notifications buzz 24/7, screens glow, news cycles never end, and social media demands our eyes, our emotions, and our opinions.

Even when we’re physically present, our minds are often elsewhere. We scroll while praying, multitask while listening, rush through silence because it makes us uncomfortable. This fragmentation of our minds and hearts is not merely a technological problem; it is a spiritual one. Because faith does not grow in noise.

The Psalmist said, “Be still and know that I am God.” Be Still! Be Attentive. Create space for God to act. Divine Love won’t deepen in constant distraction. Christ can’t enter a heart that is never still. We need silence. Solitude. Quiet.

Remember the story of Elijah the Prophet, when he fled to a cave after his victory over the false priests of Baal in order to meet God. Yet, God didn’t come in an earthquake. He didn’t come in a strong wind. He didn’t come in fire. God appeared in a still, small voice; in the sound of sheer silence.

Beware of distractions and a fragmented, divided heart. Without a still, quiet heart we won’t hear God’s voice.

Well, today’s story of Zacchaeus offers another lesson about distractions. In Zacchaeus, we may see ourselves with a desire for God but with our obstacles and disruptions impeding our way. In Zacchaeus’ situation, he was a small man facing a big crowd that stood in between Christ and him. He couldn’t draw close to Christ. He couldn’t even see Him.

Yet, he possessed a sincere desire and wouldn’t let anything hinder it. How often do we find ourselves wanting to draw closer to God, expressing an honest desire to grow in our faith, and yet feeling blocked, distracted, overwhelmed, and pulled in a hundred different directions.

Zacchaeus faced similar obstacles. The crowd blocked his view. His stature made it impossible to see. The social reality surrounding him as a despised tax collector going into a crowd of people made it dangerous for him to venture out. It could have been so easy to give up and say, “Why bother?” Yet Zacchaeus did not allow these obstacles to become excuses. He didn’t allow his mind to become distracted.

Instead, he did something simple, even foolish. He ran ahead and climbed a tree. He didn’t remain passive. He didn’t simply wish to see Jesus but did something concrete so that he could draw closer to Christ. Zacchaeus chose intention over passivity. Effort over convenience. Desire over embarrassment. He did not wait for the crowd to move; he himself acted.

And that is when Jesus stopped. We see surprising ways in which Christ meets us when we make even the smallest effort to turn toward Him. Take note of this important point. Zacchaeus climbs the tree to see Jesus, but it is Jesus who sees Zacchaeus first. Christ looks up, calls him by name, and says, “Make haste and come down, for today I must stay at your house.”

This is always how it works. God is the Good Shepherd who goes out looking for the lost sheep. When we create space for Christ in our busy lives, when we set aside distractions and give our full attention to Him – no matter how imperfectly and even awkwardly our efforts may be – the Lord always responds with grace far beyond our efforts.

“It is necessary to be still in order to know God,” stated St. Gregory the Theologian, whose memory we celebrate today. This great church father understood deeply the danger of distraction and the need for inner stillness. He lived in a noisy, chaotic world of controversy, ambition, and constant debate yet he repeatedly withdrew into silence, prayer, and reflection.

Saint Gregory warned, “Do not let your mind be distracted by useless cares, but let it be occupied with God.” Our cares today may come dressed as productivity, information, or connection, but if they scatter our hearts and minds, leaving us fragmented and unable to hear the quiet voice of God, then they hinder our spiritual growth.

So, how do we overcome these temptations and distractions? How do we keep journeying toward Christ in a world that constantly pulling us away?

First, we must reclaim intention. Zacchaeus didn’t passively hope to see Jesus; he sought Him out. Faith requires deliberate choices - setting aside time for prayer each day, creating moments of silence and quiet in Presence of God, resisting the urge to fill every quiet space with noise. We will not grow in faith by accident. We must be intentional.

This leads us to develop discipline. Just as fasting weekly and during the Lenten seasons trains our body in physical discipline, being consciously attention and aware trains our soul to be aware of God’s Presence. This means limiting screen time, turning off notifications during prayer, choosing moments of intentional disconnection, like turning off our phone by 8pm in the evening or setting aside our phone for an hour during the day. This is not a rejection of the world but a conscious reorientation toward Christ.

“What we are is the result of what we love,” St. Gregory reminds us. And what we love is revealed by what we give our attention to.

Third, we must understand that any small efforts we make toward God, He will respond in a big way. Zacchaeus didn’t give half of his possessions away to the poor immediately. He simply climbed a tree in order to see Jesus. That was enough. God didn’t demand for perfection but saw his sincere desire, his openness and willingness to meet with Him. A few minutes of honest prayer, a moment of stillness, a conscious turning of the heart can become openings for divine grace.

Finally, we remember that any journey toward Christ is never static. Salvation is not a single moment but a movement, a daily turning, again and again, toward the Lord. Zacchaeus’ encounter did not end in the tree; it led to his repentance, generosity, and transformation. Growth in faith always bears fruit in how we live, love, and give.

Remember, every day Christ is passing by our way – through nature, through loving relationships, through unexpected opportunities, through Holy Scripture, through worship, and through moments of grace that are easy to miss if we are not attentive. The question is not whether Christ is near. He comes every day. The question is whether we are willing to climb the tree, rise above the noise, push aside the distractions, and make space for Him.

When we make an effort, no matter how small and feeble, Christ will respond. He will come and bring salvation into our house as well. Let’s be intentional, disciplined, and sincere in pushing aside our distractions and seeking out God.