"As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, my God” (Psalm 42:1). The soul of Herod was beginning to thirst for God. He said, “John, I beheaded, but who is this about whom I hear such things?” And he sought to see him” (Luke 9:9). Herod had mixed feelings of perplexity and curiosity. Hearing about the activities of Jesus, he was perplexed and thought that John the Baptist, whom he had beheaded, had risen again. He was deeply curious and desired to see Jesus because “…He was hoping to see some sign done by him” (Luke 23:8). He desired to see Jesus, but made no effort to reach out to him. Many desire to see and experience Jesus for different reasons. Some desire to see him just for miracles. As human beings, we have mundane desires that are motivated by physical pleasures and spiritual desires that are prompted by faith. For example, some Greeks, prompted by faith, asked Philip, “Sir, we wish to see Jesus” (John 12:21). Similarly, Zacchaeus, a small man, had an ardent desire to see Jesus, motivated by faith. His desire led him to climb a sycamore tree to catch a glimpse of Jesus. St. Augustine says, “The entire life of a good Christian is an exercise of holy desire. You do not yet see what you long for, but the very act of desiring prepares you, so that when he comes you may see and be utterly satisfied.” Does our faith always motivate us to long for Jesus and desire to see his face daily? Luke 9:7-9; Thursday, 25th Week