Catholic Caucus: Sunday Mass Readings, 10-28-12, Thirtieth Sunday in Ordinary Time

USCCB.org/RNAB ^ | 10-28-12 | Revised New American Bible

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The healing of blind son of Timaeus

Decani
17c.
Serbia

[Salvation]

Catholic Culture

Daily Readings for: October 28, 2012
(Readings on USCCB website)

Collect: Almighty ever-living God, increase our faith, hope and charity, and make us love what you command, so that we may merit what you promise. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.

RECIPES

• Beef Brisket with Fall Vegetables
• Cold-Oven Rum Pound Cake
• Creamy Baked Corn
• Garlic Mashed Potatoes

ACTIVITIES

• Elementary Parent Pedagogy: Training by Doing, Children and the Whole Church

PRAYERS

• Prayer for Charity

LIBRARY

• Christ the King Is Lord of the World and History | Pope John Paul II

Ordinary Time: October 28th

Thirtieth Sunday of Ordinary Time

Old Calendar: Feast of Christ the King

And they came to Jericho; and as he was leaving Jericho with his disciples and a great multitude, Bartimae'us, a blind beggar, the son of Timae'us, was sitting by the roadside. And when he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to cry out and say, "Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!" (Mk 10:46-52).

Today is the Feast of Sts. Simon and Jude which is superseded by the Sunday Liturgy.

Click here for commentary on the readings in the Extraordinary Form of the Roman Rite.

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Sunday Readings
The first reading, from the book of the Prophet Jeremiah, 31:7-9, "Behold I will bring them back from the land of the north; I will gather them from the ends of the world, with the blind and the lame in their midst, the mothers and those with child; they shall return as an immense throng." Today's reading talks about the restoration of Israel and the new exodus.

The second reading, from St. Paul's Letter to the Hebrews, 5:1-6, "You are a priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek." Paul develops the figure of Melchisedech as a type of Christ, the eternal High Priest of the New Covenant. Unlike the Levitical priests, Melchisedech is given no genealogy in Scripture. Paul sees in this fact the intention of the Holy Spirit to prefigure Christ's eternal priesthood.

We read in this Sunday's Gospel (Mark 10:46-52) that, while the Lord passes through the streets of Jericho, a blind man named Bartimaeus addresses him, crying out loudly: "Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!" This entreaty moves Christ's heart, who pauses, has him called and cures him.

The decisive moment was the personal, direct encounter between the Lord and that man who was suffering. They are before one another -- God with his will to cure and the man with his desire to be cured. Two liberties, two converging wills, "What do you want me to do for you?" the Lord asks him. "Let me receive my sight," replies the blind man. "Go your way; your faith has made you well."

With these words, the miracle is realized -- God's joy, man's joy. And Bartimaeus, who had recovered his sight — recounts the Gospel — "followed him on the way": That is, he becomes his disciple and goes up with the Master to Jerusalem to take part with him in the great mystery of salvation. In the essential of its passages, this account evokes the itinerary of the catechumen toward the sacrament of baptism, which in the early Church was also called "lllumination."

Faith is a path of illumination; it starts from the humility of acknowledging one's need of salvation and arrives at the personal encounter with Christ, who calls [one] to follow him on the way of love. On this model the itineraries of Christian initiation have been established in the Church, which prepare for the sacraments of baptism, confirmation and the Eucharist.

In places of past evangelization — where the baptism of children is widespread — catechetical and spiritual experiences are proposed to young people and adults which enable them to undertake a path of rediscovery of the faith in a mature and conscious way, in order to assume later a coherent commitment to witness. How important is the work that pastors and catechists carry out in this field!

The rediscovery of the value of one's baptism is the basis of the missionary commitment of every Christian, because we see in the Gospel that he who lets himself be fascinated by Christ cannot do without witnessing the joy of following in his footsteps. In this month of October, especially dedicated to the mission, we understand even more that, in virtue of baptism, we have an inherent missionary vocation.

We invoke the intercession of the Virgin Mary so that missionaries of the Gospel will multiply. Intimately united to the Lord, may every baptized person hear that he is called to proclaim the love of God to all, with the testimony of his own life.

Angelus Address, Pope Benedict XVI, October 29, 2006

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The Word Among Us

Meditation: Mark 10:46-52

30th Sunday in Ordinary Time

“Get up, he is calling you.” (Mark 10:49)

Today’s readings all involve a call from God. In the first reading, the Lord makes a joyful announcement, calling his people out of captivity and back to Jerusalem. He prom­ises to rescue them and accompany them along the way, leaving no one behind. He is preparing the way for a new covenant, and he wants all his people to join him. In the second reading, God calls his Son to the high priesthood as the One who offers forgiveness and whose self-offering shows us the way to our heavenly Jerusalem.

Finally, in the Gospel, Jesus makes another announcement of hope on the road to Jerusalem. He calls Bartimaeus, a blind beggar, to his side. Jesus has come to res­cue his people. He will leave no one behind, not even this blind man— and not even us! Finally, the hour has come as Jesus, the great high priest, walks to the place of his Passover sacrifice and offers a new covenant in his own blood.

As their paths converge, Jesus asks Bartimaeus: “What do you want me to do for you?” (Mark 10:51). Likewise, Jesus asks you: “What do you want of me?” He longs to see you throw aside any­thing that limits your vision and your expectations. Jesus has mar­velous plans for your life. He wants to heal your heart and fill it with the fire of his love.

Are your aspirations limited, or are they worthy of a royal des­tiny? If not, toss them aside and cry out, Son of David, have pity on me! Don’t give up because of obstacles and difficulties. Persist. Jesus will remove what needs to be removed, strengthen what needs to be strengthened, and give you the grace to get up and follow.

It’s not where you’ve come from but where you are heading that counts—the heavenly Jerusalem! If you only knew how much he loves you! So take courage and get up. He is calling you!

“Jesus, Son of David, have pity on me! I want to see!”

Jeremiah 31:7-9; Psalm 126:1-6; Hebrews 5:1-6

 

Questions for Reflection or Group Discussion

1. In the first reading, the prophet Jeremiah urged the people of God to exult and shout joyfully over what God had accomplished for them: “The Lord has delivered his people” (Jeremiah 31:7). What has the Lord done in your life that causes you to gratefully and joyfully exalt Him?

2. The Responsorial Psalm again repeats the theme that God’s people should be filled with joy - more than joy, laughter - because the Lord has delivered his people from captivity and “has done great things for us.” St. Augustine said that a Christian should be an alleluia “from head to foot”. In what way is your relationship with Jesus Christ a source of joy for you? What steps can you take to deepen that relationship?

3. The second reading from the Letter to the Hebrews describes the difference between the Jewish high priest and Jesus Christ, our High Priest. What are some of these differences? Why do these differences have such an impact on the effect of the sin offering of the Jewish high priests compared to Jesus’ offering of himself for our sins (see Hebrews 9:13-14)? Do you believe reflecting on these truths, as you prepare to receive the Eucharist at Mass, can make a difference in its impact on your life? Why or why not?

4. In the Gospel, we hear of Bartimaeus the blind man, who “kept calling out” beseeching help from Jesus even when advised by the disciples to keep quiet? How persistent (and consistent) are you in prayer? What can you do to eliminate those things that keep you from a time of prayer each day? How can you deepen your expectancy?

5. Also in the Gospel, Jesus says to Bartimaeus, “What do you want me to do for you?” How would you respond if Jesus asked you this same question? Would you be able to respond with the same expectant faith that Bartimaeus had? When you call out to God in prayer for your needs do you believe that he will answer you? Why or why not?

6. The meditation ends with these words: “Are your aspirations limited, or are they worthy of a royal destiny? If not, toss them aside and cry out, Son of David, have pity on me! Don’t give up because of obstacles and difficulties. Persist. Jesus will remove what needs to be removed, strengthen what needs to be strengthened, and give you the grace to get up and follow. It’s not where you’ve come from but where you are heading that counts—the heavenly Jerusalem! If you only knew how much he loves you! So take courage and get up. He is calling you!” How would you describe the “obstacles and difficulties” that keeps you from wholeheartedly saying yes to the Lord’s call and plan for your life? What steps can you take to overcome them?

7. Take some time now to pray and ask the Lord to open your eyes to see more clearly his great love for you, and his “marvelous plans for your life.” Use the prayer at the end of the meditation as the starting point.

[Salvation]

A Christian Pilgrim

JESUS, SON OF DAVID, HAVE MERCY ON ME!

(A biblical refection on THE 30^th SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME – 28 October, 2012) 

Gospel Reading: Mark 10:46-52 

First Reading: Jer 31:7-9; Psalms: Ps 126:1-6; Second Reading: Heb 5:1-6 

The Scripture Text

And they came to Jericho; and as He was leaving Jericho with His disciples and a great multitude, Bartimaeus, a blind beggar, the son of Timaeus, was sitting by the roadside. And when he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to cry out and say, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” And many rebuked him, telling him to be silent; but he cried out all the more, “Son of David, have mercy on me!” And Jesus stopped and said, “Call him.” And they called the blind man, saying to him, “Take heart; rise, He is calling you.” And throwing off his mantle he sprang up and came to Jesus. And Jesus said to him, “What do you want me to do for you?” And the blind man said to Him, “Master, let me receive my sight.” And Jesus said to him, “Go your way; your faith has made you well.” And immediately he received hi sight and followed Him on the way. (Mk 10:46-52 RSV) 

The blind man calls on the name of Jesus and receives his sight. What power in the Name of Jesus! He obediently accepted death on a cross, and because of this God “has highly exalted Him and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on the earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father” (Phil 2:6-11 RSV).

This is the name of which St. Peter wrote, “There is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved” (Acts 4:12 RSV).

The name of Jesus is most dear to every true Christian. The name of Jesus is, in the words of St. Bernard, “honey to the mouth, music to the ear, a shout of gladness in the heart. Behold with the dawning of that name every cloud scatters and clear day returns. Has anyone fallen into sin, and does he run despairingly towards the toils of death? If he but invokes the name of Life, will not life be renewed within him?” (Sermon 15 on the Canticles)

When the blind beggar hard that Jesus was in the crowd, he began to call out, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” See the loving response of Jesus: He stops and says to the crowd, “Call him over.” And the people tell the blind man, “Take heart; rise, He is calling you.” What an invitation to each of us to call upon the name of Jesus in every need!

Few have written so beautifully on the healing power of the Name of Jesus, as St. Bernard. Meditating on the Canticle’s praise of the beloved’s name, Bernard says, “Not without reason does the Holy Spirit compare the name of the Bridegroom to oil, when He inspires the bride to say to the Bridegroom: Your Name is as oil poured out. For oil gives light, it nourishes, it anoints. It kindles fire; it renews the flesh; it assuages pain. It is light, food, medicine. See how like to this is the name of the true Bridegroom. It is light when it is preached; it is food in meditation; it is balm and healing when it is invoked for aid.” 

Short Prayer: Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me! 

[Salvation]

A Christian Pilgrim

TRANSFORMATIONS

(A biblical refection on THE 30^th SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME – 28 October, 2012) 

First Reading: Jer 31:7-9; Psalms: Ps 126:1-6; Second Reading: Heb 5:1-6; Gospel Reading: Mk 10:46-52 

The musical Les Misérables is based on the epic novel by Victor Hugo and dramatizes the adventures of Jean Valjean. After serving nineteen years in prison for stealing some bread to help his sister’s starving child, Jean Valjean is paroled.

Unable to find work, Valjean steals from a priest, who in turn lies to save him from being sent back to prison. Given a second chance, Jean Valjean undergoes a moral and social transformation: he takes a new name, becomes wealthy, befriends a dying prostitute, raises her orphan and twice risks everything he’s gained to save others.

What the Lord did through the priest for Jean Valjean is similar to what He did for Bartimaeus in the Gospel. Both Valjean and Bartimaeus were nobodies – social outcasts. But when Jesus entered their lives, they became somebodies – His disciples.

Mark’s story about Bartimeus is like a dramatic one-act play with seven scenes, namely, the seven verses.

In the first verse, Jesus is leaving Jericho for His final journey to Jerusalem, where He will die. There is an immediate contrast between the sizable crowd tagging along behind Jesus and the isolated blind beggar sitting by the road.

In the second verse, Bartimaeus hears that Jesus of Nazareth, the miracle worker, is passing by. Realizing that this was the chance of a lifetime, he cries out for help.

In the third verse, the people callously rebuke him for bothering the Master and for making himself a public nuisance. But Bartimaeus refuses to be intimidated by them and he shouts after Jesus all the louder.

In the fourth verse, Jesus stops and calls for him. Here Jesus is on His way to die, and yet He stops to help a nobody. Perhaps Jesus takes time to stop to show that this blind beggar is really a somebody, a person worthy of our respect and care.

Do we stop sometimes when we are doing what seems so urgent to assist somebody who is hurting? Or who just needs a little attention? Or who only wants to be appreciated?

In the fifth verse, Bartimaeus responds to our Lord’s call with abandon and enthusiasm. He doesn’t pile up his cloak neatly – he throws it away! He doesn’t get up hesitantly – he jumps with joy!

Compare that with our own response to the Lord. Too often our response is lazy and lethargic instead of being done with energy and alacrity, or with expectation and anticipation.

In the sixth verse, Jesus asks Bartimaeus: “What do you want Me to do for you?” It is a key question that is asked of all of us whenever we approach Jesus in prayer. May our answer always be: “lord, that we may see in areas where we are blind because of selfishness; or hear where we are deaf to the cries of pain around us.”

Finally, in the seventh verse, Jesus confirms the blind man’s faith with a cure. But instead of going his own way as Jesus instructed, Bartimaeus follows Jesus up the road. What a challenge to us!

When we receive a gift from the Lord, do we go our own way and use it only for ourselves? Or do we sometimes go up the road with Jesus to share it with other people who may need more help than we do?

Many are the times Jesus has stopped to take notice of us and to transform us. When we were nobodies, He made us somebodies. When we were sick spiritually, He made us whole. When we were down, He lifted us up.

Can we in turn stop more often to ask people: “What can I do for you? How can I be of help?”

Note: Taken from Albert Cylwicki, CSB, HIS WORD RESOUNDS, Makati, Philippines: St. Paul Publications, 1991, pages 190-192.

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Ideas for celebrating Priesthood Sunday

http://www.priestsunday.org/

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[Salvation]

 

Marriage = One Man and One Woman

Til' Death Do Us Part

Daily Marriage Tip for October 28, 2012:

The blind man Bartimaeus asked Jesus to cure him and Jesus did. Handicaps can be spiritual and emotional as well as physical. Ask Jesus to cure you.

[Salvation]

Sunday Scripture Study

Thirtieth Sunday in Ordinary Time - Cycle B

October 28, 2012

Click here for USCCB readings

Opening Prayer  

First Reading: Jeremiah 31:7-9

Psalm: 126:1-6

Second Reading: Hebrews 5:1-6

Gospel Reading: Mark 10:46-52

• Jesus is on the last leg of his final journey to Jerusalem. He has spent the entire journey trying to break through the spiritual blindness of his disciples and to show them who and what the Messiah really is and what it means to be his disciple.

• He passes through Jericho, an oasis city about 18 miles northeast of Jerusalem. It was a major administrative center for the Roman occupiers and the site of King Herod’s luxurious winter retreat. On his way out of the city, the crowd is embarrassed by the cries of a blind man begging by the road. Matthew’s version of this story (Matthew 20:29-34) tells of two blind men. Perhaps Mark mentions only one because Bartimaeus was the bolder of the two and the one who displayed the most faith.

• Bartimaeus (the name means “son of Timaeus”) addresses Jesus as “son of David,” a messianic title related to salvation, as in Luke 1:69.

• Blindness and other physical ailments were thought to be a result of sin, either the persons or their parents (John 9:1-7). These people were often outcasts who were reduced to begging. Jesus, however, stops and delivers an object lesson on blindness—both physical and spiritual.

 

QUESTIONS:

• In the 1^st Reading, what is God doing for his people as they return from Exile in a foreign land? What does he want to do for us when we return to him in humility and repentance?

• In the 2^nd Reading, what qualities does Jesus possess as high priest of the New Covenant that enables him to respond to Bartimaeus as he does? How can we imitate these qualities of Jesus?

• What is significant about the way that Bartimaeus addresses Jesus (verses 47, 48)? See also       1 Samuel 2:10, 2 Samuel 7:8-16.

• How does he show his faith while the crowd does not? How is he different from the rich young man in Mark 10:17-22? How is his request different from that of James and John in Mark 10: 36-37?

• What can you learn about prayer from the attitude and approach of Bartimaeus?

• If Jesus asked you, “What do you want me to do for you?” what would you say?

• Bartimaeus sees with the eyes of faith and is healed. Do you think God still works miracles in individual peoples lives today? Does your faith enable you to see God’s work in your life?

Catechism of the Catholic Church: §§ 439, 548, 2616, 2666-67

 

So let us follow Him as our pattern: offering Him for our ransom, receiving Him as our Eucharistic food and waiting for him as our endless and exceeding great reward.       -St. Augustine

[Salvation]

St. Paul Center Blog

Seeing the Son of David: Scott Hahn Reflects on the 30th Sunday in Ordinary Time

Posted by Dr. Scott Hahn on 10.25.12 |

Today’s Gospel turns on an irony—it is a blind man, Bartimaeus, who becomes the first besides the apostles to recognize Jesus as the Messiah. And His healing is the last miracle Jesus performs before entering the holy city of Jerusalem for His last week on earth.

The scene on the road to Jerusalem evokes the joyful procession prophesied by Jeremiah in today’s First Reading. In Jesus this prophecy is fulfilled. God, through the Messiah, is delivering His people from exile, bringing them back from the ends of the earth, with the blind and lame in their midst.

Jesus, as Bartimaeus proclaims, is the long-awaited Son promised to David (see 2 Samuel 7:12-16; Isaiah 11:9; Jeremiah 23:5). Upon His triumphal arrival in Jerusalem, all will see that the everlasting kingdom of David has come (see Mark 11:9-10).

Readings:
Jeremiah 31:7-9
Psalm 126:1-6
Hebrews 5:1-6
Mark 10:46-52

As we hear in today’s Epistle, the Son of David was expected to be the Son of God (see Psalm 2:7). He was to be a priest-king like Melchizedek (see Psalm 110:4), who offered bread and wine to God Most High at the dawn of salvation history (see Genesis 14:18-20).

Bartimaeus is a symbol of his people, the captive Zion which we sing of in today’s Psalm. His God has done great things for him. All his life has been sown in tears and weeping. Now, he reaps a new life.

Bartimaeus, too, should be a sign for us. How often Christ passes us by—in the person of the poor, in the distressing guise of a troublesome family member or burdensome associate (see Matthew 25:31-46)—and yet we don’t see Him.

Christ still calls to us through His Church, as Jesus sent His apostles to call Bartimaeus. Yet how often are we found to be listening instead to the voices of the crowd, not hearing the words of His Church.

[Salvation]

30th Sunday: Saving Grace

 

Carl Bloch - Christ heals Bartimaeus

"Master, I want to see."

Word for Sunday: http://usccb.org/bible/readings/102812.cfm

 

Jer 31: 7-9

Hb 5: 1-6
Mk 10: 46-52

We have all heard the expression and likely said it ourselves at times: “I got more than I bargained for.”  The meaning of that phrase would depend on the context in which it was spoken.  If your spouse says it to you, he/she might mean that in marrying you they found more to love and appreciate than they imagined.  Or, it might mean the opposite as well. You’re quite a handful.

We priests, in taking on a new assignment, might mean the parish is more difficult to manage than first expected.  Or, it could also mean that it has proven to be a really great experience with more than expected benefits. 

In making a financial investment or purchasing a large ticket item or even in a friendship, the investment or the person could prove to be more productive and enjoyable than expected or more disappointing.

Today’s Gospel is a beautiful story about a disabled blind man, Bartimaeus, who makes a simple request of Jesus: “Master, I want to see.” His request is reasonable.  But, indeed he received more than he bargained for – he received not only physical sight but even more, the vision of new faith in Jesus and a new way in which to live.

But, there is an interesting social component here.  Notice, the man cries out, “Jesus, son of David, have pity on me . . .” He obviously recognizes Jesus own position of honor as “son of David.” But, more on point is the word the blind man used, “pity.” Pity and mercy are synonymous and other translations use the word “mercy.” In ancient times it was felt the wealthy and fortunate owed a kind of favor to those who were poor. They were obliged to show mercy for their unfortunate condition.  

So, Bartimaeus cries out to Jesus whom he recognizes as rich in wisdom and power to pay his debt to him because he believes Jesus is able to offer such assistance. Bartimaeus obviously knew that Jesus could do something and likely he had heard of other healings Jesus performed so what does he have to lose by asking? He saw in Jesus a possibility beyond what might have seemed reasonable. He had faith that the impossible, his instant healing, might happen.   

In return, the man receives a new spiritual insight.  To “see” Jesus for who he is and though Our Lord invites him to “Go your way” after the healing, he does remind Bartimaeus that his faith in him is what gave him more than he bargained for: a new potential, a new perspective and a new opportunity.  So Bartimaeus, “followed him (Jesus) on the way.”

In the early days of Christianity, this new faith was referred to as “the way.” The power of our Christian faith is to be transformative.  In this healing story, the early Christians and still for us today, learn that to be a Christian is to follow Jesus in a new way. To change us in ways that we may receive mercy from God who essentially owes us nothing but is love itself.  By its very nature love wants to give; to offer itself to another so the love Jesus offers to the man is given in more abundance than Bartimaeus imagined. It is divine love and mercy.

Our first reading from the prophet Jeremiah paints the picture of this same saving God who will “gather them from the ends of the world, with the blind and the lame in their midst . . .” God, Jeremiah implies, has a plan to restore and renew and we, like Bartimaeus, are invited to walk in that plan by faith.

The faith expressed in Bartimaeus’, “I want to see” request is the plea of every one of us who want to take our faith seriously.  Our faith does have the power to transform our lives and the world around us, even the culture in which we live today. But do we truly see this possiblity?

 

This Year of Faith invites us to take a look at where we are walking – in his way or in our own version of that way? We may indeed be living a Christian life in our moral choices but how strong are we to defend that?  How much do we make use of what is offered to us?  Are we rather private and timid or do we have the strength of our convictions? There was nothing timid about Bartimaeus.

By the positive example of our lives we can image for the world a new direction in which to walk.  That faith in Christ and the higher moral values is the better way in which to live.  For a culture that dismisses moral absolutes in favor of individual choice we have a hill to climb for sure.  But, we are followers of Christ who leads the way before us. 

The Eucharist offer us the saving grace of faith.  As we are fed upon his Word and Body we grow in his grace if we approach this in faith and trust. We gather in the support and inspiration of our Christian family so we do not walk this way alone but with others. 

 

Fr. Tim

[Salvation]

Insight Scoop

The Road of Gathering, Exodus, and Salvation.

A Scriptural Reflection on the Readings for Sunday, October 28, 2012 | Carl E. Olson

Readings:
• Jer 31:7-9
• Ps 126:1-2, 2-3, 4-5, 6
• Heb 5:1-6
• Mk 10:46-52“In the beginning,” states Lumen Gentium, the Second Vatican Council’s Dogmatic Constitution on the Church, “God made human nature one and decreed that all His children, scattered as they were, would finally be gathered together as one” (par. 13). God’s plan of salvation involves being liberated from sin and death. It also involves being liberated from that place to this place, of being moved from one state in life to a radically new one. 

The prophet Jeremiah, writing during the Assyrian exile, which began around 740 B.C., pointed toward a time when the faithful return to the Promised Land and the Temple. “Behold, I will bring them back from the land of the north,” the Lord declared through the suffering prophet, “I will gather them from the ends of the world, with the blind and the lame in their midst…” This is one of many Old Testament passages describing such a gathering. Today’s Psalm expresses the hopeful expectation of exodus from exile, “when the Lord brought back the captives of Zion.”

Israel’s history was deeply shaped by captivity, exile and exodus. The Exodus from Egypt was a formative event for the Jewish people. Most first-century Jews believed that the Messiah, the “anointed one,” would gather together the scattered people of God. Those who heard Jesus announcing the Kingdom of God heard the promise of a renewed Davidic kingdom marked by political and cultural autonomy.

But, as Lumen Gentium explains, the focus of the Messiah’s regathering was not national boundaries and political power. “It was for this purpose that God sent His Son, whom He appointed heir of all things, that he might be teacher, king and priest of all, the head of the new and universal people of the sons of God” (par. 13). Jesus, the heir of David, would conquer sin and death. Jesus, the high priest, would sacrifice himself for the sake of the world. The entire world was in exile in the realm of sin, and the Messiah—who was also a new Moses—would lead the people of God in an exodus from the darkness of spiritual slavery into the light of salvation.

Jesus, in announcing the Kingdom of God, notes Fr. Robert Barron in The Priority of Christ (Brazos Press, 2007), “was not calling attention to general, timeless spiritual truths, nor was he urging people to make a decision for God; he was telling his listeners that Yahweh was actively gathering the people of Israel and, indirectly, all people into a new salvific order, and he was insisting that his hearers conform themselves to the new state of affairs.” The son of David was gathering the lost, the wounded, the lame, and the blind, and he continues to gather them into the Church, which is “God's reaction to the chaos provoked by sin” (Catechism of the Catholic Church, 761).

The encounter between Jesus and the blind man, heard in today’s Gospel, is a microcosm of this gathering. It took place on the cusp of the Passover, as Jesus made his way with the crowds going to Jerusalem to celebrate the Passover—the feast marking the Exodus. The blind man, Bartimaeus, knew the identity of the Jesus and twice called upon him, “Son of David, have pity on me.” How did he know Jesus was the Messiah? How did a blind mind see the truth so clearly? How could a beggar possess such rich knowledge? And, conversely, how did so many people with sight remain blind? Why did the wealthy and the powerful so often reject the riches of Christ?

Jesus simply said, “Call him.” His disciples then called Bartimaeus, and he threw off his cloak—which represented his old life (cf. Rom. 13:12; Eph 4:22)—and came to Jesus. “Master,” he said, “I want to see.” Jesus healed him and told him to “go your way.” And Bartimaeus followed the Messiah on his way to Jerusalem, the Cross, and the Resurrection, the road of gathering, exodus, and salvation.

 (This “Opening the Word” column originally appeared in the October 25, 2009, edition of Our Sunday Visitor newspaper.)

[Salvation]

Vultus Christi

Act of Consecration to Jesus, King of Love

By

Father Mark

 on October 28, 2012 8:12 AM |

 

Today, being the feast of Christ the King, we will renew our Act of Consecration to Jesus, King of Love at the end of Holy Mass.

O JESUS, KING OF LOVE,
WITH TRUST IN THY MERCIFUL GOODNESS,
we consecrate ourselves to Thee;
and offer to Thy Sacred Heart
all that we have received from Thee:
our life itself,
our strength, and our talents,
our desires, our works, and our humble efforts.
At the same time we offer Thee
our weaknesses and our inconsistencies,
our fears, our failures, and even our sins,
for there is nothing of ours
that Thy merciful love cannot redeem, and heal,
restore, and turn to Thy Father's glory.

Thou hast come to us in Thy image,
and so we come to Thee
to offer Thee what is already Thine:
the church built to Thy glory sixty years ago,
this house and all the constructions adjacent to it,
the entire property of Silverstream,
its fields, its water, its woodlands,
and all Thy creatures therein.

By the light of Thy Eucharistic Face
and the fire of Thy Eucharistic Heart:
make Silverstream entirely Thine:
a little kingdom where Thy Love holds sway,
and in which all are subject to Thee.

O Jesus, King of Love,
make this monastery a hospital for the healing of sick souls,
a safe refuge for fearful and anxious souls,
a welcoming home for poor and restless souls.

Here, O King of Love,
let sinners be converted;
here, let the lukewarm be set ablaze;
here, reveal to Thy friends the secrets of Thy Sacred Heart.

Here, let souls receive the gifts of Thy Divine Friendship:
perseverance in prayer, peace of mind, and purity of heart.
Here, make Thy servants joyful in a shining chastity,
and ardent in an unassailable purity.
Here, raise up those who have fallen,
give light to those who are in darkness,
give courage to those beset by fear.

O King of Love,
so establish the sovereign rule of Thy Heart in this monastery and over it,
that it will become a garden enclosed,
a sanctuary of silence and of peace,
a place of tranquil order, where beauty is at home.

Cast out from this place the powers of darkness,
the enemies of our souls,
the cruel tempters of Thine anointed,
and the bodiless persecutors of those who would live for Thee alone.

Impart to all who live here,
or labour here,
or visit here,
or in any way participate in this monastery's growth,
a share in the incomparable grace of spiritual childhood,
and an unfailing light along the path of confidence
and abandonment to Thy merciful love.

O Jesus, King of Love,
meek and humble of heart,
rule over this, Thy little kingdom;
make all herein the faithful subjects of Thy Love,
the adorers of Thy Eucharistic Face,
and the friends of Thy Eucharistic Heart.

Having lived in Thine intimacy here below,
vouchsafe that we may pass from this life
to the glory of heaven,
there to praise Thy merciful goodness
in the company of Thy Immaculate Mother, the Blessed Virgin Mary,
of Saint Joseph, Saint John, Thy Beloved Disciple,
Saint Benedict, Saint Thérèse, Blessed Abbot Marmion,
Thy servant Mother Yvonne-Aimée,
the Holy Angels, and all Thine elect,
forever, and unto the ages of ages.
Amen.

[Salvation]

Vultus Christi

A Few Souls Weep

By

Father Mark

 on October 28, 2012 12:22 PM |

 

 

Exposition and Adoration

Not long ago, on a Friday evening, while visiting a major international Marian shrine recognized by the Holy See, I attended exposition and adoration of the Most Blessed Sacrament. There are a number of priests on staff at this particular shrine.

The sacristan, a layman who manages to be unfailingly kind and business-like at the same time, emerged from the sacristy; opened the tabernacle; removed from it the monstrance containing the Sacred Host; placed it, rather unceremoniously on the altar; genuflected and left.

Minimalism

There was no singing, no use of incense, and no priest, therefore no use of the humeral veil and none of the marks of reverence and adoration that should accompany such a rite: liturgical minimalism of the most egregious sort.

A Para-Liturgy of the Laity

A couple of devout ladies in the first pew took charge, announcing page numbers and reciting a sequence of vocal prayers at at pace that was more than lively. Their recitation was so fast that I marveled at their ability to crank on without stopping for a breath.

The entire service was conducted by laypersons. At the conclusion there was, given the absence of a priest, no Benediction of the Most Blessed Sacrament. The monstrance containing the Sacred Host was summarily removed from the altar, replaced in the tabernacle and . . . well . . . that was it.

A Spiritual Cancer

I found myself grieving over the whole situation. It was an experience of liturgical minimalism such as I have never seen. It was exposition and adoration of the Most Blessed Sacrament on the cheap. The absence of the priest was symptomatic of a spiritual cancer that, even after the Year of the Eucharist and the Year of the Priest, is metastasizing throughout the Church.

It Was Bound to Happen

What was happening there? The liturgical minimalism and irreverence that have come to characterize the celebration of the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass in so many places have now invaded the rite of exposition and adoration of the Most Blessed Sacrament. It was bound to happen. The ethos of Holy Communion received in the hand, of the abusive use of Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion, and of the loss of any awareness of sacred space has now overflowed into the cultus of the Most Holy Eucharist outside of Mass.

The rite of exposition and adoration of the Most Blessed Sacrament is fast becoming the exclusive purview of the laity, and often of the sacristan, or of Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion. A rite that, in the mind of the Church, is to be solemn, festive, and hierarchically ordered has become something sad, bland, and common.

The Priest and the Body of Christ

The practice I witnessed first-hand at the shrine of X. is symptomatic of something grievously wrong. A wedge is being driven between the cultus of the Most Blessed Sacrament and the priest who is ordained not only to confect the adorable Body and precious Blood of Christ, but also to offer the Holy Sacrifice, to handle the Sacred Species, and to present the Body of Christ to the gaze of the faithful and to their adoration.

Foretaste of Heaven

In former times, the authorization of the Ordinary was required for exposition and Benediction of the Most Blessed Sacrament. I remember well seeing, as a young lad, a framed and beautifully handwritten document on the sacristy wall listing the days on which exposition and Benediction of the Most Blessed Sacrament were permitted. Exposition and Benediction were privileged moments, anticipated with joy: a foretaste of heaven that passed all too quickly, leaving the fragrance of incense hanging in the air.

Something Has Gone Very Wrong

In fifty years time we have come to quite another scenario: a layman in work clothes (or a lay woman) places the monstrance on the altar and walks away. A few ladies begin a series of devotional prayers. And, here and there, in the semi-darkness of the church, a few souls weep, for they understand that something has gone very wrong. Very wrong indeed.

[Salvation]

Regnum Christi

The Gentle Mercy of God

| SPIRITUAL LIFE | SPIRITUALITY

Thirtieth Sunday in Ordinary Time

Father Michael Sliney, LC

Mark 10:46-52

As Jesus was leaving Jericho with his disciples and a sizable crowd, Bartimaeus, a blind man, the son of Timaeus, sat by the roadside begging. On hearing that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to cry out and say, "Jesus, son of David, have pity on me." And many rebuked him, telling him to be silent. But he kept calling out all the more, "Son of David, have pity on me." Jesus stopped and said, "Call him." So they called the blind man, saying to him, "Take courage; get up, he is calling you." He threw aside his cloak, sprang up, and came to Jesus. Jesus said to him in reply, "What do you want me to do for you?" The blind man replied to him, "Master, I want to see." Jesus told him, "Go your way; your faith has saved you." Immediately he received his sight and followed him on the way.

Introductory Prayer: Lord, I believe in you with a faith that never seeks to test you. I trust in you, hoping to learn to accept and follow your will, even when it does not make sense to the way that I see things. I love you Lord. May my love for you and those around me be similar to the love you have shown to me.

Petition: Christ Jesus, grant me the gift of faith.

1. The Lord Helps Those Who Help Themselves: Bartimaeus has character. As a beggar, he’s sharp enough to realize that it’s not good business to annoy the people he needs to beg from. Yet when Jesus passes nearby, he refuses to be silenced even when he’s rebuked by his “customers”. He’s driven by the certainty that Jesus can change his lot in life. Nobody, therefore, is going to keep Bartimaeus from his goal of meeting Christ. Do I have a similar kind of certitude that proximity to Our Lord is a necessity for me, that only he can heal my wounds and keep me on the right path towards heaven? Do I make sure nothing separates me from him?

2. “Jesus, Help Me!” Pope Benedict encourages us to look to the merciful heart of the Lord, “In our difficulties, problems and temptations, we must not simply engage in a theoretical reflection -- from whence do they come? -- but must react positively, invoking the Lord, maintaining a living contact with the Lord. Beyond that, we must cry out the name of Jesus, ‘Jesus, help me!’ And we may be sure that he listens to us, as he is near to those who seek him. Let us not be discouraged; rather, let us run with ardor…and we too will reach life, Jesus, the Lord” (Angelus, February 8, 2006).

3. The Gift of Faith: The faith of the blind beggar was what allowed Christ to cure him. Faith is not something that we can earn or acquire through willpower or sheer effort. Faith is a gift. This gift must be sought in humble and constant prayer. We have all received this gift through baptism, but it is a gift that needs to grow. “Lord, increase my faith!”

Conversation with Christ: Thank you, Lord! Like the sight you gave to Bartimaeus, you have given me so many graces and special favors, beginning with the amazing gift of my Catholic faith.  From the heart I thank you for so much love.

Resolution: I will pray with perseverance and trust for those virtues I most need, especially for the gift of faith to see Christ acting in my daily life.

[Salvation]

The Blind Man Speaks Up

This Sunday’s Gospel: The Blind Man Speaks Up

by Marcellino D'Ambrosio, Ph.D. on October 26, 2012

 

 There were hundreds in the crowd that day at Jericho.  No doubt all of them had needs, many of them urgent.  But this Sunday's gospel tells us that apparently only one of them had the audacity to speak up and ask for help from the prophet that everyone had come to see.

The man happened to be a blind beggar, the son of a man named Timaeus.  Bartimaeus probably did not know that the celebrity was, as our second reading tells us, the great high priest according to the order of Melchizedek who was appointed by God to take away the sins of the world.  It’s likely too that he did not know that this Jesus was the Son of God, the incarnate Word, equal to the Father.

But in the few words he spoke, as recorded in the Gospel, we see that he did believe several important things about this VIP.  First, by calling him a Son of David he was indicating his faith that Jesus was the messiah, the king destined to revive the fortunes of Israel and fulfill the legacy of the one who delivered Israel from the scourge of its enemies.  He also evidently believed that this teacher (whom he called Rabbouni) had the power to rid him of his own personal scourge of blindness.  This was a power that neither the kings nor the rabbis of Israel typically possessed.

So Bartimaeus had faith in Jesus.  And he received the miracle he so ardently desired.  Jesus told him that it was his faith, in fact, that saved him.

But silent conviction alone would not have done the trick.  No, had he just believed quietly in the man who everyone was making a fuss about, Jesus would have walked right by him.

Fortunately, Bartimaeus had the kind of faith that speaks up and acts up.  Jesus says elsewhere in the Gospel that he who asks, receives.  He tells parables about seemingly rude widows and neighbors who make a nuisance of themselves, persistently asking for what they want and finally getting it.

Maybe Bartimaeus heard these words of Jesus on another occasion.  Or maybe he simply knew this by instinct and the promptings of grace.  If he really believed that Jesus could do anything, why would he allow the Rabbi to pass him by without fulfilling his urgent need?  Carpe Diem!

Bartimaeus (Mark 10:46-52) makes it clear that if faith is humble and receptive, it is not demure, shy, or reticent.  Faith takes initiative.  It can actually be boisterous, even outrageous at times.  He can’t see exactly where Jesus is and so can’t walk right up to him to present his request in a dignified, semi-private manner.  So he uses what he has…his voice.  He makes a scene.  The more people tell him to be quiet the louder he shouts.  And when he finally gets Jesus’s attention and is summoned, the text says he eagerly leaps to his feet.

As I read this story, I’m tempted to think if I’d have been there, with the Lord Jesus standing there in front of me, I’d have spoken up as well.

Well, every Sunday I’m confronted with the real and true presence of the same One who healed Bartimaeus.  For in the Eucharist the sacrament of sacraments, it is not just God’s grace (which is awesome enough) but Christ’s bodily presence which is made available.  Guaranteed.

So why do so many of us go to Mass again and again and walk out the door much the same as we went in?  Why so little healing, so little growth in holiness?   Maybe because we lack the outrageous faith of Bartimaeus.  Every sacramental celebration, especially the Eucharist, says the Catechism (CCC 739, 1106), is a new Pentecost.  The gifts of the Holy Spirit, forgiveness, healing, purification, guidance, all are there for the taking.  We don’t need to shout like Bartimaeus.  But like him, we can determine to stop going home empty handed.

By Marcellino D'Ambrosio

Dr. Marcellino D’Ambrosio writes from Texas

[Salvation]

Scripture Speaks

Scripture Speaks: Thirtieth Sunday in Ordinary Time

 

by Gayle Somers on October 26, 2012 ·

 

A blind man insists on crying out to Jesus, getting on everyone’s nerves.  How was his vision better than theirs?

Gospel (Read Mk 10:46-52)

As Jesus, His disciples, and “a sizeable crowd” were leaving Jericho (a city about 17 miles northeast of Jerusalem), they encountered a blind beggar, Bartimaeus, sitting by the roadside.  The buzz from the crowd told Bartimaeus that Jesus of Nazareth was passing by.  He began to cry out, “Jesus, Son of David, have pity on me.”  This was a very unusual way for a person who didn’t know Jesus to address Him.  It was full of Messianic significance.  The Jews believed that the Messiah for whom they waited would be a descendant of King David and his rightful heir (see Isa 9:7; Ezek 34:23-24).  In addition, Jewish tradition expected the Messiah to heal and exorcise demons, as it was believed that King Solomon once did (see Wis 7:20).  So, in one loud cry, the blind beggar identifies Jesus as the One for whom all Jews longed.  The crowd wasn’t amused:  “And many rebuked him, telling him to be silent.”  This raises two questions:  (1) How did Bartimaeus know who Jesus was?  (2) Why was the crowd so impatient with him?

Because he was blind, Bartimaeus had to rely on what he was hearing from others about this Jesus of Nazareth.  Had he heard stories from people who had seen Him?  There was plenty of talk about the miracle-worker from Galilee.  Notice that even here there was a “sizeable crowd” with Him.  People who are blind rely on their other senses to learn what they need to know.  Bartimaeus was a beggar, unable to work to support himself because of his blindness.  His hearing must have been acute, and he had lots of time on his hands.  As he listened to what people were saying about Jesus, did he become convinced that the Messianic prophecies he had known all his life were being fulfilled in this remarkable rabbi?  Even without being able to see Jesus, was he confident that he should make the most of this moment and cry out for pity from the Son of David, the new King of Israel?

Why did “many” in the crowd try to silence him?  Did they think that calling Jesus “Son of David” was wildly over the top?  Were they convinced that a marginalized beggar like Bartimaeus should not accost someone as important as Jesus?  Were their sensibilities offended on both counts?  If so, then Bartimaeus could “see” Jesus much better than they.  Their rebuke, coming from their blindness, made Bartimaeus all the more determined.  No matter how hopeless and unlikely it seemed, he was not about the let this moment slip away from him.

His perseverance paid off:  “Jesus stopped and said, ‘Call him.’”  We are not surprised to see the blind man’s response:  “He threw aside his cloak, sprang up, and came to Jesus.”  He was so eager to take his need to Jesus!  It would seem obvious what Bartimaeus needed from Jesus was for his vision to be healed.  Why didn’t Jesus just reach out and do that?   Why did He ask the man, “What do you want from Me?”  Perhaps Jesus wanted this encounter with the needy Bartimaeus to be personal (we have so often seen this in St. Mark’s Gospel).  Jesus wanted a conversation with the man who already knew and believed so much about Him.  Notice the humility in Bartimaeus’ response:  “Master, I want to see.”  He didn’t demand to be healed.  He simply stated his deepest need to the One he believed could satisfy it.

Once this personal exchange has taken place between Jesus and the blind man, the miracle has already happened:  “Go your way; your faith has saved you.”  Jesus tells him that his faith—his belief that all God’s promises to the Jews were summed up in Jesus—has been the cause of his healing:  “Immediately he received his sight…”  The first healing Bartimaeus received that day was not in his eyes but in his soul:  “…and [he] followed Him on the way.”  The blind beggar became a follower of Jesus.  Thus, he becomes an illustration of all that the Son of David came to do, first for the Jews and then for the whole world.  Sin makes all of us blind beggars, unable to see Truth and utterly unable to help ourselves.  A cry of faith in Jesus as God’s promised help means a personal relationship with God’s own Son and a brand new life.  See how Bartimaeus “threw aside his cloak,” which is a picture of shedding an old way for the new.  When our faith takes us to Jesus, we are healed.  The autonomy of sin that leaves us on the side of the road is no longer appealing.  Our feet find a better path, following Jesus “on the way.”

Physical sight is a blessing, but the opened eyes of the soul, as Bartimaeus teaches us, is a much greater gift.

Possible response:  Lord Jesus, I know that all my needs can lead me to You, if only I let them.  Please help me hear when You call me to come.

First Reading (Read Jer 31:7-9)

We can see that long before Bartimaeus’ day, God promised, through the prophet, Jeremiah, to one day restore His exiled people, who were then like blind beggars in a foreign land, to great joy.  “The blind,” as well as others in need, would return “as an immense throng” (recall that St. Mark noted the “sizeable crowd” with Jesus in our Gospel).  God said, “I will lead them to brooks of water, on a level road, so that none shall stumble.”  Recall that Jesus offered living water to those who believed in Him (see Jn 4:14;7:38).  Bartimaeus found that living water sitting by “the roadside.”

When the blind man remembered promises like these and heard the report about Jesus, he cried out for pity.  Thus, he is a living example of those who “departed in tears” but whom God promises to “console…and guide.”

No wonder he wouldn’t shut up!

Possible response:  Heavenly Father, the world today is full of people living like exiles from You.  Help Your Church announce the Good News of reconciliation in Jesus to them.

Psalm (Read Ps 126:1-6)

The psalm deepens our appreciation of how our Gospel episode is an iconic fulfillment of God’s promises to His needy people—the Jews first, then the whole world.  It describes the ecstasy of God’s people who, after being exiled from their homeland because of sin (as Adam and Eve were exiled from Eden), were returned by God and reconciled to Him (as He has done for us through Jesus and Mary).  The psalmist says “…our mouth was filled with laughter, and our tongue was rejoicing.”  He tells us that when “the nations” heard of God’s merciful work for His people, Israel, they said, “The Lord has done great things for them.”  This reminds us of when the crowd in the Gospel, upon hearing that Jesus actually wanted to speak with the blind beggar, says to Bartimaeus:  “Take courage; get up, Jesus is calling you.”  God’s restoration and gift of new life has only one appropriate response, then and now:  The Lord has done great things for me; we are filled with joy.”

Possible response:  The psalm is, itself, a response to our other readings.  Read it again prayerfully to make it your own.

Second Reading (Read Heb 5:1-6)

The author of Hebrews is writing here about the humility of Jesus, Who did not “glorify Himself” by taking the honor of priesthood upon Himself.  Rather, He waited on God to appoint Him “a priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek.”  Even God’s own Son did not make demands on the Father; He waited to be “called by God.”

This reminds us, again, of Bartimaeus.  As Jesus passed by, he cried out for pity.   However, he didn’t take a step towards Him until Jesus said, “Call him.”  Once the call went out, the blind man had a ready, joyous response.  When Jesus asked what he wanted, he made no demands; he simply stated his desire:  “Master, I want to see.”  In this, he becomes for us an example of humility.

In humility, Jesus received His call to be our High Priest.  In humility, He offers Himself to us in the Eucharist.  As we stand before Him, in answer to His call, we can say with Bartimaeus, “Master, I want to see.”  Jesus never grows weary of healing our blindness.

Possible response:  “Master, I want to see.”

By Gayle Somers

Gayle Somers is a member of St. Thomas the Apostle parish in Phoenix and has been writing and leading parish Bible studies since 1996.

[Salvation]

A Reflection on Spiritual Blindness

by CE Editor on October 28, 2012 · 

The context of Jesus’ long instruction to his disciples:

The healing of the anonymous blind man at the beginning of the instruction, takes place in two phases (Mk 8:22-26). In the first phase the blind man begins to intuit things, but only just. He sees people as if they were trees (Mk 8:24). In the second phase, after the second trial, he begins to understand better. The disciples were like the anonymous blind man: they accepted Jesus as Messiah, but they could not accept the cross (Mk 8:31-33). They were people who saw people as trees. Their faith in Jesus was not strong. They continued to be blind! When Jesus insisted on service and the giving of ones life (Mk 8:31;34; 9:31; 10:33-34), among themselves they insisted on knowing who was the most important (Mk 9:34), and they continued to ask for the first places in the Kingdom, one on the right and the other on the left of the throne (Mk 10:35-37). This shows that the dominant ideology of the time had taken deep root in their mentality. After living with Jesus for a number of years, they had not yet been renewed enough to see things and persons. They looked at Jesus with the eyes of the past. They wanted him to be what they imagined he should be: a glorious Messiah (Mk 8:32). But the aim of Jesus’ instruction was so that his disciples might be like the blind Bartimaeus who accepted Jesus as he was, a faith that Peter did not have as yet. Thus Bartimaeus is a model for the disciples of Jesus’ time and for the community of Mark’s time as well as for all of us.

A commentary on the text:

Mark 10:46-47: The description of the context of the episode: The cry of the poor At last, after a long walk, Jesus and his disciples come to Jericho, the last stop before going up to Jerusalem. The blind Bartimaeus is sitting by the side of the road. He cannot take part in the procession that accompanies Jesus. He is blind, he can see nothing. But he shouts, calling for the Lord’s help: “Son of David! Have pity on me!” The expression “Son of David” was the most common title that people ascribed to the Messiah (Mt 21:9; cf Mk 11:10). But Jesus did not like this title. He criticized and questioned the attitude of the doctors of the law who taught the people that the Messiah would be the Son of David (Mk 12:35-37).

Mark 10:48: The reaction of the people to the cry of the poor The cry of the poor feels uncomfortable, unpleasant. Those who were following the procession with Jesus try to keep Bartimaeus quiet. But “he shouted all the louder!” Today too the cry of the poor feels uncomfortable. Today there are millions who shout: migrants, prisoners, hungry people, sick people, those marginalized and oppressed, those unemployed, without wages, without a home, without a roof, without land, who never feel loved! Their shouts are silenced, in our homes, in the churches, in world organizations. Only those who open their eyes to what is happening in the world will listen to them. But many are those who have stopped listening. They got used to the situation. Others try to silence the cries, as they tried with the blind man from Jericho. But they cannot silence the cry of the poor. God listens to them (Ex 2:23-24; 3:7). God says: “You will not ill-treat widows or orphans; if you ill-treat them in any way and they make an appeal to me for help, I shall certainly hear their appeal!” (Ex 22:21).

Mark 10:49-50: Jesus’ reaction to the cry of the poor What does Jesus do? How does God hear this cry? Jesus stops and orders the blind man to be brought to him. Those who wanted to silence him, to silence the uncomfortable cry of the poor, now, at Jesus’ request, see themselves bound to act in such a way as to bring the poor to Jesus. Bartimaeus leaves everything and goes to Jesus. Not that he possessed much, just a cloak. It is all he has to cover his body (cf. Ex 22:25-26). It is his security, his solid land!

Mark 10:51-52: The conversation between Jesus and the blind man and his healing Jesus asks: “What do you want me to do for you?” It is not enough to shout. One must know what one is shouting for! The blind man answers: “Rabbuni! Let me see again!” Bartimaeus addressed Jesus in a manner not at all common, even, as we have seen, with the title “Son of David” that Jesus did not like (Mk 12:35-37). But Bartimaeus has more faith in Jesus than in the ideas and titles concerning Jesus. Not so the others present. They do not see what is necessary, like Peter (Mk 8:32). Bartimaeus knows how to give his life by accepting Jesus without any conditions. Jesus says to him: “Go! Your faith has saved you!” At once his sight was restored. He leaves everything and follows Jesus (Mk 10:52). His healing is the result of his faith in Jesus (Mk 10:46-52). Now healed, Bartimaeus follows Jesus and goes with him up to Jerusalem and to Calvary! He becomes a model disciple for Peter and for all of us: to put our faith more in Jesus than in our ideas about Jesus!

Thank you to the Carmelites at ocarm.org for this reflection.

[Salvation]

One Bread, One Body

One Bread, One Body

 

<< Sunday, October 28, 2012 >>

30th Sunday Ordinary Time

Jeremiah 31:7-9
Hebrews 5:1-6
View Readings

Psalm 126:1-6
Mark 10:46-52

PRAY TO SEE TO PRAY TO SEE

"I want to see." —Mark 10:51

 

The apostles twice saw Jesus multiply the loaves and the fish, but they did not see the significance of these miracles. In His frustration, Jesus exclaimed to them: "Do you still not see or comprehend? Are your minds completely blinded? Have you eyes but no sight?" (Mk 8:17-18) The apostles were spiritually blind not only to the significance of Jesus' miracles, but also to the significance of Jesus Himself. They were blind to the necessity of the cross (see Mk 8:31-33).

Jesus tried to begin to correct the apostles' vision by means of His Transfiguration before three apostles (see Mk 9:2ff). This did not succeed, as the apostles continued to be blinded to the Lord's revelations of the cross (see Mk 9:31-32). Next, the Lord healed the blind Bartimaeus physically. He hoped that the apostles might learn from Bartimaeus to pray: "Rabboni, I want to see" (see Mk 10:51). However, that didn't work either. Even Jesus' crucifixion, death, and resurrection didn't open the apostles' eyes. Finally, two disciples' eyes were opened in the breaking of the bread on the afternoon of Jesus' resurrection (Lk 24:31). Then, with the coming of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost, many eyes were opened.

Jesus' disciples finally saw the significance of Jesus' Transfiguration and the healing of blind Bartimaeus. The disciples saw the need to pray: "I want to see" (Mk 10:51), and the Church was born.

 

Prayer: Father, may I see my blindness so that I can pray to see.

Promise: "Behold, I will bring them back from the land of the north; I will gather them from the ends of the world, with the blind and the lame in their midst, the mothers and those with child; they shall return as an immense throng." —Jer 31:8

Praise: Praise Jesus, our risen Lord and Love! He has taken "His seat at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven, as far superior to the angels as the name He has inherited is superior to theirs" (Heb 1:3-4). Alleluia!

[Salvation]

 

We ALL pray for an end to abortion!