OCTOBER 28, 2012 : THIRTIETH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME

Thirtieth Sunday in Ordinary Time
Lectionary: 149

Reading 1 Jer 31:7-9

Thus says the LORD:
Shout with joy for Jacob,
exult at the head of the nations;
proclaim your praise and say:
The LORD has delivered his people,
the remnant of Israel.
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.
They departed in tears,
but I will console them and guide them;
I will lead them to brooks of water,
on a level road, so that none shall stumble.
For I am a father to Israel,
Ephraim is my first-born.

Responsorial Psalm Ps 126:1-2, 2-3, 4-5, 6

R. (3) The Lord has done great things for us; we are filled with joy.
When the LORD brought back the captives of Zion,
we were like men dreaming.
Then our mouth was filled with laughter,
and our tongue with rejoicing.
R. The Lord has done great things for us; we are filled with joy.
Then they said among the nations,
"The LORD has done great things for them."
The LORD has done great things for us;
we are glad indeed.
R. The Lord has done great things for us; we are filled with joy.
Restore our fortunes, O LORD,
like the torrents in the southern desert.
Those that sow in tears
shall reap rejoicing.
R. The Lord has done great things for us; we are filled with joy.
Although they go forth weeping,
carrying the seed to be sown,
They shall come back rejoicing,
carrying their sheaves.
R. The Lord has done great things for us; we are filled with joy.

Reading 2 Heb 5:1-6

Brothers and sisters:
Every high priest is taken from among men
and made their representative before God,
to offer gifts and sacrifices for sins.
He is able to deal patiently with the ignorant and erring,
for he himself is beset by weakness
and so, for this reason, must make sin offerings for himself
as well as for the people.
No one takes this honor upon himself
but only when called by God,
just as Aaron was.
In the same way,
it was not Christ who glorified himself in becoming high priest,
but rather the one who said to him:
You are my son:
this day I have begotten you;
just as he says in another place:
You are a priest forever
according to the order of Melchizedek.

Gospel Mk 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, Jesus 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.

www.usccb.org

Scripture Study

October 28, 2012 Thirtieth Sunday of Ordinary Time

This week, as we celebrate the Thirtieth Sunday of Ordinary Time, we are reminded by the first reading that God cares for His people as a Father cares for his children. The second reading reminds us of the central role of Jesus as a mediator between God and humanity. The Letter to the Hebrews draws parallels between Jesus and the Jewish High Priest. The Gospel reminds us that our eyes must be opened by the Lord in order for us to follow on His Way.

NOTES on First Reading:

* 31:7 Verses 7-14 is a hymn of joy about the new exodus of the people of God. It begins with a formal call to rejoice because God has bestowed salvation on His people. He will take them back home to Israel. The triumphal march through the dessert brings joy to both the returnees and the foreign nations. See Isa 12:6 40:9-10; 44:23; 55:11; Ps 47:2, 9-10; 8:33-36;95-96 The remnant of Israel is the small group of people who escaped death in the destruction of 721 and have been purified by the exile experience. They now are to be reconstituted as the New Israel that will be faithful to her God.

* 31:8 The company of exiles being brought home is made up of the sick, the lame, the blind and the weak. Their weakness is a sign of the miraculous nature of the event. Their survival and success in returning will be accomplished only by God�s grace. They come from the north and the ends of the world which indicates Assyria where they have been kept captive. See Isa 43:5-6

* 31:9 There is an opposition between sorrow and joy expressed here that parallels the same opposition of feelings in another hymn of the return from exile, Psalm 126.

* The brooks or streams of water are a reference to the water from the rock incidents of the first exodus. See Exodus 17:1-7; Num 20:1-13

* The level road indicates the ease of passage that God will provide in contrast to the first exodus. See Isa 40:4

NOTES on Second Reading:

* 5:1-6 The writer considers the role of Jesus in comparison to and in contrast with that of the Aaronic High Priest. He says that Jesus has certain attributes in common with those Old Testament High Priests: 
1. All priests are chosen to represent the people before God concerning the things of God. 
2. The priests must have been one with men. 
3. The priests are chosen and appointed by God.

* 5:1 The humanity of Jesus is important in order for Him to be an effective High Priest for us. In the Old Testament tradition the High Priest was identified with the people. The "High Priest would offer sacrifices and gifts"... here the writer is thinking specifically of the rites of the Day of Atonement in which sacrifices were offered specifically for the sins of the people. See Heb 9:7 and Lev 16:30-34. In the Old Testament, the only sins for which sacrificial atonements were impossible were those "sins committed with a high hand" as set out in Numbers 15:30. These seem to be the ones that one commits with a set purpose rather than those into which one would fall.

* 5:2 The writer uses a nearly untranslatable word, "metriopahein," that is often translated as "with compassion," "gently," or "patiently". This is the only place where it is used in the Bible and is borrowed from the Greek writings on virtue. It indicated the proper mean between the extreme passions at either end of a spectrum. An example would be the mean between flaming anger and indulgence on the part of parents with regard to their children. It is with this proper mean between the passions that Jesus deals with us, "patiently" and "with compassion".

* 5:3 Here Jesus differs from the other priests that came before Him in that He did not need to offer sacrifice and gifts to atone for any sins of His own.

* 5:4 Aaron and his sons were chosen by God for the ministry of the Old Testament priesthood. See Exodus 28:1, Lev 8:2, Num 3:3, 16:5, 16:7, 16:40, 17:3-11.

* 5:5 Jesus too did not give Himself the honor of taking the position of high priest but was chosen by God the Father. The quote is from Ps 2:7

* 5:6 The quote which has been applied to Jesus refers to a priesthood seen as greater and more ancient than that of Aaron and is from Ps 110:4

NOTES on Gospel:

* 10:46-52 This narrative is a prophecy of the disciples getting their spiritual vision. This healing of blind man/men at Jericho is also found in Mt 20:29-34; Luke 18:35-43. Jericho is 15-20 miles from Jerusalem.

* 10:47 "Son of David" is a Messianic title that is publicly applied to Jesus here for the first time in this Gospel. This is the first time Mark shows Jesus being recognized as Messiah by a human other than Peter.

* 10:50 The garment or cloak that Bartimaeus threw aside was probably the cloth that he had spread out to receive offering of alms on. It may well be seen as symbolic of casting aside the old order of things or the old life of blindness.

* 10:51 Here Bartimaeus expresses faith in Jesus� power to heal.

* 10:52 " ...followed him on the way" means literally to Jerusalem because that is where Jesus was going but in the early church "the Way" meant Christianity itself. It was probably meant to indicate that Bartimaeus became a disciple at this time and followed him.

www.st-raymond-dublin.org

Meditation: "Your faith has made you well"

Have you ever encountered a once in a life-time opportunity you knew you could not pass up? Such a moment came for a blind and destitute man, named Bartimaeus. He was determined to get near the one person who could meet his need. He knew who Jesus was and had heard of his fame for healing, but until now had no means of making contact with the Son of David, a clear reference and title for the Messiah. It took a lot of "guts" and persistence for Bartimaeus to get the attention of Jesus over the din of a noisy throng who crowded around Jesus as he made his way out of town. Why was the crowd annoyed with the blind man's persistent shouts? He was disturbing their peace and interrupting Jesus' discourse. It was common for a rabbi to teach as he walked with others. Jesus was on his way to celebrate the Passover in Jerusalem and a band of pilgrims followed him. When the crowd tried to silence the blind man he overpowered them with his emotional outburst and thus caught the attention of Jesus.
This incident reveals something important about how God interacts with us. The blind man was determined to get Jesus' attention and he was persistent in the face of opposition. Jesus could have ignored or rebuffed him because he was disturbing his talk and his audience. Jesus showed that acting was more important than talking. This man was in desperate need and Jesus was ready, not only to empathize with his suffering, but to relieve it as well. A great speaker can command attention and respect, but a man or woman with a helping hand and a big heart is loved more. Jesus commends Bartimaeus for recognizing who he is with the eyes of faith and grants him physical sight as well.
Clement of Alexandria (150-215 AD), an early church father, comments on Bartimaeus' faith with an exhortation that we, too, should put our faith in the light of Christ's word:

The commandment of the Lord shines clearly, enlightening the eyes. Receive Christ, receive power to see, receive your light, that you may plainly recognize both God and man. More delightful than gold and precious stones, more desirable than honey and the honeycomb is the Word that has enlightened us (Cf. Psalm 19:10). How could he not be desirable, who illumined minds buried in darkness, and endowed with clear vision “the light-bearing eyes” of the soul? … Sing his praises, then, Lord, and make known to me your Father, who is God. Your Word will save me, your song instruct me. I have gone astray in my search for God; but now that you light my path, Lord, I find God through you, and receive the Father from you, I become co-heir with you, since you were not ashamed to own me as your brother. Let us, then, shake off forgetfulness of truth, shake off the mist of ignorance and darkness that dims our eyes, and contemplate the true God, after first raising this song of praise to him: “All hail, O light!” For upon us buried in darkness, imprisoned in the shadow of death, a heavenly light has shone, a light of a clarity surpassing the sun’s, and of a sweetness exceeding any this earthly life can offer. [Exhortation to the Greeks 11]

Do you recognize your need for God's healing grace and light, and do you seek Jesus out, like Bartimaeus did, with persistent faith and trust in his goodness and mercy?

"Lord Jesus, remove from me the darkness of sin and unbelief and give me eyes of faith to recognize the truth of your word and your saving presence in my life."
www.dailyscripture.net

The Gentle Mercy of God

Thirtieth Sunday in Ordinary Time

Father Michael Sliney, LC  Listen to podcast version here. 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.

www.regnumchristi.com

SUNDAY, OCTOBER 28
THIRTIETH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME
MARK 10:46-52
(Jeremiah 31:7-9; Psalm 126; Hebrews 5:1-6)
KEY VERSE: "Master, I want to see" (v 51).
READING: As Jesus and his disciples journeyed to Jerusalem, they passed through Jericho, the place of Israel's triumphant victory through God's intervention (Joshua 6:20). Jericho was only about 15 miles from Jerusalem, and the end of the road for Jesus lay ahead. Jesus had been teaching his disciples about the necessity of renunciation and of his sacrificial death (Mk 9:43-10:45). But they did not understand the meaning of his words and were blind to his message and mission. As they entered Jericho, a blind beggar cried out to Jesus for pity, according him the Messianic title "Son of David." Although some people ordered him to be quiet, Bartimaeus called out all the more. His faith was rewarded when Jesus beckoned him to come. At once, Bartimaeus cast aside his cloak, his sole position, and rushed to Jesus for healing. He was cured immediately. Indeed, the blind man had greater faith than Jesus' disciples, and he followed him on "the way" (v 52, an early name for the Christian faith).
REFLECTING: What prevents me from seeing Jesus today? 
PRAYING: Lord Jesus, open my eyes to your presence in my life.

www.daily-word-of-life.com

Homily

Sunday Homily 30th sunday Ordinary Time year B

Readings : (I) Jer:31:7-9 ; (II) Heb: 5: 1-6 ; Gospel Mk: 10: 46-52

All I have seen teaches me to trust the Creator for all I have not seen (Emerson)

Nicholas Poussin (1595 — 1665) was a famous 17th century French artist. One of the famous paintings he painted is the healing of the blind beggar Bartimaeus. One day, two persons - a poet and an artist were looking at this picture. The artist asked the poet, “To you, what seems the remarkable thing about this painting?”

The Poet said, “The figure of Christ, the grouping of the individuals, the expression on their faces, everything in this picture seems to be excellently done.” “But look,” the artist pointed to the steps of a house shown in the comer of the canvas, “do you see the dicarded cane lying there?” “Yes! But what about it, asked the poet?”

“Why!,” The artist explained, “on these steps the blind man sat with the cane in his hand, but when he heard Christ was calling him, he was so sure that he would be healed that he left the cane lying there and went to Christ as if he could already see. It was the tremendous faith of this blind beggar that brought him healing.”

In today’s Gospel, we heard about the healing of the blind beggar Bartimaeus. His condition was made miserable by two misfortunes. In the first place he was blind and in the second place he was a poor beggar. If a man is blind  that itself is a miserable condition but his misery could be a bit relieved if he had money. Luxury could buy him a hundred comforts and alleviate the sadness of his heart. But to be blind and poor is the combination of the sterner of two misfortunes. But he was relieved from those misfortunes by the blessings of Christ.

The faith of Bartimaeus is something remarkable.

1) Origin of His Faith

It was faith that brought healing to Bartimaeus. How did he come to believe in Jesus. He did not come to believe in Jesus from what he saw. Others saw Jesus work many miracles  they saw him heal lepers, cure the sick, multiply the loaves and fish, even give sight to some blind men. But Bartimaeus hadn’t seen all these, for he was stone blind. Then how did he come to believe in Jesus? It certainly was not because he traveled much, for blind men don’t travel much. Then how did he get his faith in Jesus? As he was sitting on the roadside and begging he would have heard the passers-by discussing about Jesus of Nazareth  how he healed the man born blind in Bethsaida (Mk 8 : 23).

How Jesus took the man outside the village, spat into his eyes and healed him. Bartimaeus would have stopped them and made them to tell him that story with every detail. When he heard the story  an invincible hope would have been born in his heart that he too can receive his sight if only he met Jesus. As he sat there on the roadside day in and day out he would have prayed and wished Jesus to pass that way where he sat begging. Everyday as he sat on the roadside, he would have been more pleased to hear the name of Jesus than with all the alms he received. He believed in Jesus from what he heard, and not from what he saw.

2) The Desire of His Faith

He wanted to come face to face with Jesus and get healed by Him. But there were many obstacles for him. Jesus was leaving the city  at the entrance of the city he had healed a blind man but Bartimaeus was sitting at the other side of the city of Jericho. And now Jesus was departing. A normal man would have said, “Oh! What is the use, Jesus is almost gone. There is no use in trying.” But Bartimaeus’ faith was strong and his need was urgent. He would not miss an opportunity, even if it were slender. He cried aloud, “Jesus, son of David, have mercy of me!”

The crowd was large and the noise was loud. How could Jesus hear him? But, even that couldn’t stop him. He said to himself, “I shall make my cry louder than the noise of the crowd and I shall make my presence more prominent than the crowd.” When he cried, the crowd took notice of his cry, but they considered that it was a nuisance. He was disturbing the discourse of Jesus. They told him to shut his mouth. But Bartimaeus was not deterred by the opinion of the crowd. His need was greater than the desire of the crowd. So he cried louder, “Jesus, son of David, have mercy on me!” And Jesus heard his cry and He stopped and said, “Call him here.” The people said to him, “Courage man, get up, he is calling you.” He left everything, jumped up and came to Jesus, and Jesus asked him, “What do you want?” Bartimaeus replied, “I want to see again.” His great desire was granted. He came into the presence of Jesus and made his prayer to Him.

3) The Fruit of His Faith

When he came before Jesus, he asked Him to give his sight back again. And Jesus said, “Go your faith has cured you.” His faith brought him sight. After getting his sight what did he do? The Bible says, “He followed Christ.” What a grateful man he was! Although he was a beggar, he was a grateful man. After he got his sight back he could have gone home to his family and friends and told them, “Look! I have got back my sight - I can now work and earn and look after you all.” No! He was not a selfish man, but a grateful soul.

He could have gone to Jerusalem and seen the temple in its glory. Even this, he did not do. Or he could have rushed to the hills and looked down at the valleys and their beauty. So many days they were shut to him, but he never did even that. Then what did he do? He wanted to see always the man who gave him his sight. Therefore, he followed Jesus, like a disciple.

May the lessons we have learnt from Bartimaeus increase our faith; may his faith and experience teach us that Jesus cares for us more than anything else; may his faith and experience teach us that Jesus listens and answers any prayer that emerge from the pain of our hearts.

www.spreadjesus.org

The Lord has done great things for us; we are filled with joy. 

Go—your faith has saved you.’
Religious historian Eamon Duffy once wrote that faith is a loving and grateful openness to the gift of living. What a lovely thought! 

We often define faith as a belief in a set of rules and regulations, but Bartimaeus shows that his faith was in a person. We know, even though we may be spiritually blind, that we have been given this gift of life by a loving Creator and also given the means to grow into the person that loving Creator means us to be. Lord, when you ask us what you want us to do, we say, ‘That I may see.’

Please, Lord, have pity on each one of us, as you did on Bartimaeus, striking the scales from our eyes so that we may see, and then follow you along the way as he did.

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THOUGHT FOR TODAY

GOD AND PRAYER

A man who afterwards became a prominent Christian said that his idea of God was revolutionised when, as a little boy, he was taken to visit an old lady. The old lady pointed out to him a text on her wall - 'Thou, God, seest me' - and she said to him, 'You see those words. They do not mean God is always watching you to see what you are doing wrong, they mean he loves you so much that he cannot take his eyes off you'.

A very precious way to pray is just through silence. No thoughts or words, just wanting to be silent in the presence of God. Perhaps one of the high points in prayer is where two silences meet: God's silence and our silence. No need for thoughts - and words get in the way.

- Cardinal Basil Hume, In My Own Words, Hodder & Stoughton, 1999

 

From A Canopy of Stars: Some Reflections for the Journey by Fr Christopher Gleeson SJ [David Lovell Publishing 2003]

www.churchresources.info

The Blind Man Speaks Up!

What Bartimaeus teaches us about Faith

by: Dr. Marcellino D'Ambrosio

The story of Bartimaeus, the blind beggar who met Jesus on the road to Jericho, is a dramatic event from the Gospel of Mark that can't help bring a smile to our faces as we read of his insistent, persevering boldness! He illustrates something very important about the true nature of Christian faith.

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 (Mark 10:46-52) 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 "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--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 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’dhave 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.

This reflection on the faith of Bartimaeus was originally published in the edition of Our Sunday Visitor as a reflection upon the readings for the 30^th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Cycle B (Jeremiah 31:7-9; Hebrews 5:1-6; Mark 10:46-52). It is reproduced here with the permission of the author.

www.crossroadsinitiative.com

MINUTE MEDITATIONS

Learning to Love     

True self-love is founded in the intrinsic dignity that provides a sense of security and peace which, in turn, allows us to love others wholeheartedly.

— from How the Ten Commandments Can Change Your Life

www.americancatholic.org

October 28
Sts. Simon and Jude

Jude is so named by Luke and Acts. Matthew and Mark call him Thaddeus. He is not mentioned elsewhere in the Gospels, except, of course, where all the apostles are mentioned. Scholars hold that he is not the author of the Letter of Jude. Actually, Jude had the same name as Judas Iscariot. Evidently because of the disgrace of that name, it was shortened to "Jude" in English.

Simon is mentioned on all four lists of the apostles. On two of them he is called "the Zealot." The Zealots were a Jewish sect that represented an extreme of Jewish nationalism. For them, the messianic promise of the Old Testament meant that the Jews were to be a free and independent nation. God alone was their king, and any payment of taxes to the Romans—the very domination of the Romans—was a blasphemy against God. No doubt some of the Zealots were the spiritual heirs of the Maccabees, carrying on their ideals of religion and independence. But many were the counterparts of modern terrorists. They raided and killed, attacking both foreigners and "collaborating" Jews. They were chiefly responsible for the rebellion against Rome which ended in the destruction of Jerusalem in A.D. 70.

Comment:

As in the case of all the apostles except for Peter, James and John, we are faced with men who are really unknown, and we are struck by the fact that their holiness is simply taken to be a gift of Christ. He chose some unlikely people: a former Zealot, a former (crooked) tax collector, an impetuous fisherman, two "sons of thunder" and a man named Judas Iscariot.

It is a reminder that we cannot receive too often. Holiness does not depend on human merit, culture, personality, effort or achievement. It is entirely God's creation and gift. God needs no Zealots to bring about the kingdom by force. Jude, like all the saints, is the saint of the impossible: Only God can create his divine life in human beings. And God wills to do so, for all of us.

Quote:

"Just as Christ was sent by the Father, so also he sent the apostles, filled with the Holy Spirit. This he did so that, by preaching the gospel to every creature (cf. Mark 16:15), they might proclaim that the Son of God, by his death and resurrection, had freed us from the power of Satan (cf. Acts 26:18) and from death, and brought us into the kingdom of his Father" (Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy).

St.Thaddeus, St.Sandukht and other Christians
in Sanatruk's prison.

www.americancatholic.org

LECTIO: 30TH SUNDAY OF ORDINARY TIME (B)

Lectio: 

 Sunday, October 28, 2012 - 18

Jesus heals Bartimaeus, the blind man from Jericho 
The blind see! Let those who see not be deceived! 
Mark 10:46-52

1. Opening prayer

Lord Jesus, send your Spirit to help us to read the Scriptures with the same mind that you read them to the disciples on the way to Emmaus. In the light of the Word, written in the Bible, you helped them to discover the presence of God in the disturbing events of your sentence and death. Thus, the cross that seemed to be the end of all hope became for them the source of life and of resurrection. 
Create in us silence so that we may listen to your voice in Creation and in the Scriptures, in events and in people, above all in the poor and suffering. May your word guide us so that we too, like the two disciples from Emmaus, may experience the force of your resurrection and witness to others that you are alive in our midst as source of fraternity, justice and peace. We ask this of you, Jesus, son of Mary, who revealed to us the Father and sent us your Spirit. Amen.

2. Reading

a) A key to the reading:

This Sunday’s Gospel tells the story of the healing of Bartimaeus, the blind man from Jericho (Mk 10:46-52). This story includes a long instruction from Jesus to his disciples (Mk 8:22 to 10:52). Mark places the healing of the anonymous blind man at the beginning of this instruction (Mk 8:22-26), then, at the end, he tells us of the healing of the blind man from Jericho. As we shall see, the two healings are symbols of what went on between Jesus and his disciples. They point to the process and purpose of the slow learning by the disciples. They describe a starting point (the anonymous blind man) and an end point (Bartimaeus) of Jesus’ instruction to his disciples and to all of us. 
As we read, we shall try to look at the attitudes of Jesus, the blind Bartimaeus and the people of Jericho, and to all that each of them says and does. As you read and meditate the text, think that you are looking into a mirror. Which image is it reflecting of you: that of Jesus, of the blind Bartimaeus, of the people?

b) A division of the text as a help to the reading:

Mark 10:46: The description of the context of the episode
Mark 10:47: The cry of the poor
Mark 10:48: The reaction of the people to the cry of the poor 
Mark 10:49-50: Jesus’ reaction to the cry of the poor
Mark 10:51-52: The conversation between Jesus and the blind man and his healing

c) Text:

46 They reached Jericho; and as he left Jericho with his disciples and a great crowd, Bartimaeus -- that is, the son of Timaeus -- a blind beggar, was sitting at the side of the road. 47 When he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to shout and cry out, 'Son of David, Jesus, have pity on me.' 48 And many of them scolded him and told him to keep quiet, but he only shouted all the louder, 'Son of David, have pity on me.'
49 Jesus stopped and said, 'Call him here.' So they called the blind man over. 'Courage,' they said, 'get up; he is calling you.' 50 So throwing off his cloak, he jumped up and went to Jesus. 51 Then Jesus spoke, 'What do you want me to do for you?' The blind man said to him, 'Rabbuni, let me see again.' 52 Jesus said to him, 'Go; your faith has saved you.' And at once his sight returned and he followed him along the road.

3. A moment of prayerful silence

so that the Word of God may penetrate and enlighten our life.

4. Some questions

to help us in our personal reflection.

a) What pleased you most in this text? Why?
b) What is Jesus’ attitude: what does he say and do? 
c) What is the attitude of the people of Jericho: what do they say and do? 
d) What is the attitude of the blind Bartimaeus: what does he say and do?
e) What lesson can we learn from the healing of the blind Bartimaeus?

5. For those who wish to go deeper into the theme

a) 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.

b) 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!

c) Further information:

The context of the journey to Jerusalem

Jesus and his disciples are on the way to Jerusalem (Mk 10:32). Jesus goes before them. He is in a hurry. He knows that they will kill him. The prophet Isaiah had foretold this (Is 50:4-6; 53:1-10). His death is not something that will come about through blind destiny or an established plan, but as a consequence of an assumed duty, of a mission received from the Father together with those excluded of his time. Jesus warns the disciples three times concerning the torture and death that await him in Jerusalem (Mk 8:31; 9:31; 10:33). The disciple must follow his master, even to suffering with him (Mk 8:34-35). The disciples are taken aback and go with him full of fear (Mk 9:32). They do not understand what is happening. Suffering was not part of the idea they had of the Messiah (Mk 8:32-33; Mt 16:22). Not only did some of them not understand, but they kept on cherishing personal ambitions. James and John ask for a place in the glory of his Kingdom, one on the right hand and one on the left of Jesus (Mk 10:35-37). They want to go above Peter! They do not understand Jesus’ plan. They are only concerned with their own interests. This reflects the fights and tensions that existed in the communities of Mark’s time and that exist even now in our communities. Jesus reacts decisively: “You do not know what you are asking!” (Mk 10:38) He asks them if they are capable of drinking the cup that he will drink and receive the baptism that he will receive. The cup is the cup of suffering, and the baptism is the baptism of blood. Jesus wants to know whether rather than a place of honour they will be willing to give their lives even to death. They answer: “We can” (Mk 8:39). This seems to be an answer that comes from their lips because a few days later they abandon Jesus and leave him alone at the hour of suffering (Mk 14:50). They have but a little critical conscience, they do not see his personal reality. In his instruction to the disciples, Jesus stresses the exercise of authority (cf. Mk 9:33-35). In those days, those who held power paid no attention to the people. They acted according to their ideas (cf. Mk 6:17-29). The Roman Empire controlled the world and kept it submissive by force and thus, by means of tributes, taxes and customs, was able to concentrate the wealth of the people in the hands of a few in Rome. Society was characterized by the exercise of repression and the abuse of power. Jesus thinks otherwise. He says: “Among you this is not to happen. No, anyone who wants to become great among you must be your servant!” (Mk 10:43). He tells them to avoid privileges and rivalry. He turns the system upside-down and stresses service as a means of overcoming personal ambition. Finally he gives his own life in witness of what he said: “The Son of man himself came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many” (Mk 10:45).

Faith is a force that transforms people

The Good News of the Kingdom says that Jesus is like a fertilizer. He makes the seed of life grow in people, a seed hidden like fire under the embers of observance, lifeless. Jesus blows on the embers and the fire glows, the Kingdom is revealed and people rejoice. The condition is always the same: faith in Jesus. 
When fear takes hold of a person, faith disappears and hope is extinguished. During his moment of torment, Jesus scolds his disciples for their lack of faith (Mk 4:40). They do not believe, because they are afraid (Mk 4:41). Jesus could not work miracles in Nazareth because people there did not believe (Mk 6:6). They did not believe because Jesus did not measure up to their ideas of how he should be (Mk 6:2-3). It is precisely lack of faith that prevents the disciples from driving out the “dumb spirit” who ill-treats a sick child (Mk 9:17). Jesus criticizes them: “Faithless generation!” (Mk 9:19). Then he tells them how to re-enkindle faith: “This is the kind that can only be driven by prayer” (Mk 9:29).

Jesus urged people to have faith in him and consequently created trust in others (Mk 5:34.36; 7:25-29; 9:23-29; 10:52; 12:34.41-44). Throughout Mark’s Gospel, faith in Jesus and in his word is like a force that transforms people. It enables people to have their sins forgiven (Mk 2:5), to overcome suffering (Mk 4:40), to have the power to heal and purify themselves (Mk 5:34). Faith obtains the victory over death, as when the twelve-year-old daughter of Jairus enkindles in her father faith in Jesus and his words (Mk 5:36). Faith makes Bartimaeus jump for joy: “Your faith has saved you!” (Mk 10:52) If you say to the mountain: “Be pulled up and thrown into the sea”, the mountain will fall into the sea, but one must not doubt in one’s heart (Mk 11:23-24). “Because all things are possible for those who believe!” (Mk 9:23).

“Have faith in God!” (Mk 11:22). Thanks to his words and actions, Jesus arouses in people a dormant force that people are not aware of possessing. This is what happens to Jairus (Mk 5:36), to the woman with the haemorrhage (Mk 5:34), to the father with an epileptic son (Mk 9:23-24), to the blind Bartimaeus (Mk 10:52), and to many other people because of their faith in Jesus they enabled a new life to grow in them and in others.

The healing of Bartimaeus (Mk 10:46-52) clarifies a very important aspect of Jesus’ long instruction to his disciples. Bartimaeus had called Jesus by his messianic title of “Son of David!” (Mk 10:47). Jesus did not like this title (Mk 12:35-37). But even though he called Jesus by a title that was not quite correct, Bartimaeus had faith and was healed! Not so Peter who no longer believed in the ideas of Jesus. Bartimaeus changed his idea, was converted, left everything behind and followed Jesus on his journey to Calvary! (Mk 10:52).

A full understanding of the following of Jesus is not obtained through theoretical instruction, but through a practical commitment, journeying with him along the way of service from Galilee to Jerusalem. Anyone who tries to hang on to Peter’s idea, that is, that of the glorious Messiah without the cross, will not understand Jesus and will never be truly a disciple. Anyone who wants to believe in Jesus and is willing “to give his/her life” (Mk 8:35), accept “to be last” (Mk 9:35), “drink the cup and carry the cross” (Mk 10:38), like Bartimaeus, even with ideas that are not entirely correct, will have the power “to follow Jesus along the way” (Mk 10:52). It is in the certainty of being able to walk with Jesus that we find the source of courage and the seed of the victory of the cross.

6. Praying with a Psalm 31 (30)

In you, Yahweh, I have taken refuge!

In you, Yahweh, I have taken refuge, 
let me never be put to shame, 
in your saving justice deliver me, rescue me,
turn your ear to me, make haste. 
Be for me a rock-fastness, 
a fortified citadel to save me.

You are my rock, my rampart; 
true to your name, lead me and guide me!
Draw me out of the net they have spread for me, 
for you are my refuge;
to your hands I commit my spirit, 
by you have I been redeemed. God of truth,
you hate those who serve useless idols; 
but my trust is in Yahweh:
I will delight and rejoice in your faithful love! 
You, who have seen my misery, 
and witnessed the miseries of my soul,
have not handed me over to the enemy, 
but have given me freedom to roam at large.

Take pity on me, Yahweh, for I am in trouble. 
Vexation is gnawing away my eyes, 
my soul deep within me.
For my life is worn out with sorrow, 
and my years with sighs. 
My strength gives way under my misery, 
and my bones are all wasted away.

The sheer number of my enemies makes me contemptible, 
loathsome to my neighbours, 
and my friends shrink from me in horror. 
When people see me in the street they take to their heels.
I have no more place in their hearts than a corpse, 
or something lost.
All I hear is slander -- terror wherever I turn -- 
as they plot together against me, 
scheming to take my life.

But my trust is in you, Yahweh; 
I say, 'You are my God,'
every moment of my life is in your hands, 
rescue me from the clutches of my foes who pursue me;
let your face shine on your servant, 
save me in your faithful love.

I call on you, Yahweh, 
so let disgrace fall not on me, 
but on the wicked. 
Let them go down to Sheol in silence,
muzzles on their lying mouths, 
which speak arrogantly against the upright in pride and contempt.

Yahweh, what quantities of good things you have in store 
for those who fear you, 
and bestow on those who make you their refuge, 
for all humanity to see.
Safe in your presence you hide them,
far from human plotting, shielding them in your tent, 
far from contentious tongues.

Blessed be Yahweh 
who works for me miracles of his faithful love (in a fortified city)!
In a state of terror I cried, 
'I have been cut off from your sight!' 
Yet you heard my plea for help when I cried out to you.

Love Yahweh, all his faithful: 
Yahweh protects his loyal servants, 
but he repays the arrogant with interest.
Be brave, take heart, 
all who put your hope in Yahweh.

7. Final Prayer

Lord Jesus, we thank for the word that has enabled us to understand better the will of the Father. May your Spirit enlighten our actions and grant us the strength to practice that which your Word has revealed to us. May we, like Mary, your mother, not only listen to but also practice the Word. You who live and reign with the Father in the unity of the Holy Spirit forever and ever. Amen.

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