Monday of the Thirty-third Week in
Ordinary Time
Lectionary: 497
Lectionary: 497
The revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave to him,
to show his servants what must happen soon.
He made it known by sending his angel to his servant John,
who gives witness to the word of God
and to the testimony of Jesus Christ by reporting what he saw.
Blessed is the one who reads aloud
and blessed are those who listen to this prophetic message
and heed what is written in it, for the appointed time is near.
John, to the seven churches in Asia: grace to you and peace
from him who is and who was and who is to come,
and from the seven spirits before his throne.
I heard the Lord saying to me:
"To the angel of the Church in Ephesus, write this:
"'The one who holds the seven stars in his right hand
and walks in the midst of the seven gold lampstands says this:
"I know your works, your labor, and your endurance,
and that you cannot tolerate the wicked;
you have tested those who call themselves Apostles but are not,
and discovered that they are impostors.
Moreover, you have endurance and have suffered for my name,
and you have not grown weary.
Yet I hold this against you:
you have lost the love you had at first.
Realize how far you have fallen.
Repent, and do the works you did at first.
Otherwise, I will come to you
and remove your lampstand from its place, unless you repent."'"
to show his servants what must happen soon.
He made it known by sending his angel to his servant John,
who gives witness to the word of God
and to the testimony of Jesus Christ by reporting what he saw.
Blessed is the one who reads aloud
and blessed are those who listen to this prophetic message
and heed what is written in it, for the appointed time is near.
John, to the seven churches in Asia: grace to you and peace
from him who is and who was and who is to come,
and from the seven spirits before his throne.
I heard the Lord saying to me:
"To the angel of the Church in Ephesus, write this:
"'The one who holds the seven stars in his right hand
and walks in the midst of the seven gold lampstands says this:
"I know your works, your labor, and your endurance,
and that you cannot tolerate the wicked;
you have tested those who call themselves Apostles but are not,
and discovered that they are impostors.
Moreover, you have endurance and have suffered for my name,
and you have not grown weary.
Yet I hold this against you:
you have lost the love you had at first.
Realize how far you have fallen.
Repent, and do the works you did at first.
Otherwise, I will come to you
and remove your lampstand from its place, unless you repent."'"
Responsorial
PsalmPS 1:1-2, 3, 4 AND 6
R. (Rev. 2:17) Those who are victorious I will feed from the tree of life.
Blessed the man who follows not
the counsel of the wicked
Nor walks in the way of sinners,
nor sits in the company of the insolent,
But delights in the law of the LORD
and meditates on his law day and night.
R. Those who are victorious I will feed from the tree of life.
He is like a tree
planted near running water,
That yields its fruit in due season,
and whose leaves never fade.
Whatever he does, prospers.
R. Those who are victorious I will feed from the tree of life.
Not so the wicked, not so;
they are like chaff which the wind drives away.
For the LORD watches over the way of the just,
but the way of the wicked vanishes.
R. Those who are victorious I will feed from the tree of life.
Blessed the man who follows not
the counsel of the wicked
Nor walks in the way of sinners,
nor sits in the company of the insolent,
But delights in the law of the LORD
and meditates on his law day and night.
R. Those who are victorious I will feed from the tree of life.
He is like a tree
planted near running water,
That yields its fruit in due season,
and whose leaves never fade.
Whatever he does, prospers.
R. Those who are victorious I will feed from the tree of life.
Not so the wicked, not so;
they are like chaff which the wind drives away.
For the LORD watches over the way of the just,
but the way of the wicked vanishes.
R. Those who are victorious I will feed from the tree of life.
AlleluiaJN 8:12
R. Alleluia,
alleluia.
I am the light of the world, says the Lord;
whoever follows me will have the light of life.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
I am the light of the world, says the Lord;
whoever follows me will have the light of life.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
GospelLK 18:35-43
As Jesus approached Jericho
a blind man was sitting by the roadside begging,
and hearing a crowd going by, he inquired what was happening.
They told him,
"Jesus of Nazareth is passing by."
He shouted, "Jesus, Son of David, have pity on me!"
The people walking in front rebuked him,
telling him to be silent,
but he kept calling out all the more,
"Son of David, have pity on me!"
Then Jesus stopped and ordered that he be brought to him;
and when he came near, Jesus asked him,
"What do you want me to do for you?"
He replied, "Lord, please let me see."
Jesus told him, "Have sight; your faith has saved you."
He immediately received his sight
and followed him, giving glory to God.
When they saw this, all the people gave praise to God.
a blind man was sitting by the roadside begging,
and hearing a crowd going by, he inquired what was happening.
They told him,
"Jesus of Nazareth is passing by."
He shouted, "Jesus, Son of David, have pity on me!"
The people walking in front rebuked him,
telling him to be silent,
but he kept calling out all the more,
"Son of David, have pity on me!"
Then Jesus stopped and ordered that he be brought to him;
and when he came near, Jesus asked him,
"What do you want me to do for you?"
He replied, "Lord, please let me see."
Jesus told him, "Have sight; your faith has saved you."
He immediately received his sight
and followed him, giving glory to God.
When they saw this, all the people gave praise to God.
Meditation: "What do you want me to do for
you?"
Have you ever encountered a special moment of grace, a
once in a life-time opportunity you knew you could not pass up? Such a moment
came for a blind and destitute man who heard that Jesus was passing by. The
Gospel of Mark identifies this man as Bartimaeus (Mark 10:46-52). This blind
man 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.
Faith and persistence is rewarded
It took raw courage and bold 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 their conversation with Jesus. 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 loud emotional outburst and thus caught the attention of Jesus.
It took raw courage and bold 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 their conversation with Jesus. 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 loud 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
scolded him because he was interrupting his talk and disturbing 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.
The blind man recognized Jesus with eyes of faith
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. Do you recognize your need for God's healing grace and do you seek Jesus out, like Bartimaeus, with persistent faith and trust in his goodness and mercy?
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. Do you recognize your need for God's healing grace and do you seek Jesus out, like Bartimaeus, with persistent faith and trust in his goodness and mercy?
Bartimaeus was not only grateful for the gift of faith
and the gift of physical sight, but for the opportunity to now follow Jesus as
one of his disciples. Luke tells us us that he immediately followed Jesus and
gave glory to God. The crowd also gave praise to God when they saw this double
miracle of spiritual and physical vision. Cyril of Alexandria, a 5th century
church father, comments on this double vision:
Now that he was
delivered from his blindness, did he neglect the duty of loving Christ? He
certainly did not. It says, “He followed him, offering him glory like to God.”
He was set free from double blindness. Not only did he escape from the
blindness of the body but also from that of the mind and heart. He would not
have glorified him as God, had he not possessed spiritual vision. He became the
means of others giving Christ glory, for it says that all the people gave glory
to God.(Commentary on Luke, Homily 126)
Do you give glory to God for giving you the "eyes of faith" to recognize him as your Lord and Healer?
"Lord Jesus, open the eyes of my heart and mind
that I may see and understand the truth and goodness of your word. May I never
fail to recognize your presence with me and to call upon your saving grace in
my time of need and healing."
Daily Quote from the early church fathers: The blind man knows that Jesus is the Son of
David and the Messiah, by Cyril of Alexandria (376-444 AD)
"The blind man must have understood that the
sight of the blind cannot be restored by human means but requires, on the
contrary, a divine power and an authority such as God only possesses. With God
nothing whatsoever is impossible. The blind man came near to him as to the
omnipotent God. How then does he call him the Son of David? What can one answer
to this? The following is perhaps the explanation. Since he was born and raised
in Judaism, of course, the predictions contained in the law and the holy
prophets concerning Christ had not escaped his knowledge. He heard them chant
that passage in the book of the Psalms, 'The Lord has sworn in truth to David,
and will not annul it, saying: "of the fruit of your loins I will set a
king upon your throne"' (Psalm 132:11).
"The blind man also knew that the blessed prophet
Isaiah said, 'There will spring up a shoot from the root of Jesse, and from his
root a flower will grow up' (Isaiah 11:1). Isaiah also said, 'Behold, a virgin
will conceive and bring forth a son, and they will call his name Emmanuel,
which being interpreted is, God with us' (Matthew 1:23; Isaiah 7:14). He
already believed that the Word, being God, of his own will had submitted to be
born in the flesh of the holy Virgin. He now comes near to him as to God and
says, 'Have mercy on me, Son of David.' Christ testifies that this was his
state of mind in offering his petition. He said to him, 'Your faith has saved
you.'" (excerpt from COMMENTARY ON LUKE,
HOMILY 126)
MONDAY,
NOVEMBER 19, LUKE 18:35-43
Weekday
(Revelation 1:1-4, 2:1-5; Psalm 1)
Weekday
(Revelation 1:1-4, 2:1-5; Psalm 1)
KEY VERSE: "Have sight; your faith has saved you" (v. 42).
TO KNOW: On their journey to Jerusalem, Jesus took the Twelve aside to prepare them for his eventual death, but they understood nothing of what he said (Lk 18:31-34). When Jesus and his disciples approached the city gates of Jericho, twenty-four miles northeast of Jerusalem, a blind man ("Bartimaeus" in Mark 10:46) heard that Jesus was passing by. He called out, addressing him as the "Son of David," a Messianic title promising that salvation would come through the "house of David" (Lk 1:69). Though the crowds tried to silence the blind man, he pleaded all the more for his sight to be restored. Jesus recognized the deep faith of this man who saw more clearly than the sighted who were spiritually blind. When the man's vision was restored, he gave God the glory and followed Jesus as a disciple. This miracle caused many others to give praise to God.
TO LOVE: Am I able to help others "see" the Lord?
TO SERVE: Lord Jesus, help me to recognize my own blind spots.
Monday 19
November 2018
Apocalypse 1:1-4; 2:1-5. Psalm 1:1-4, 6. Luke 18:35‑43.
Those who are victorious I will feed from the
tree of life – Psalm 1:1-4, 6.
‘Grace and peace to you from him who is, who was, and who is to
come.’
The blind man is aware of both physical and spiritual blindness
in himself. He addresses Jesus with his messianic title, ‘Son of David’,
revealing his faith in Jesus. ‘Have pity on me’ he says, and when asked what it
is he desires he replies ‘Sir, let me see again.’ Jesus says, ‘receive your
sight, your faith has saved you.’
Imagine the scene: the man himself; Jesus, stopping to ask him
what he could do; the crowd of people in the town; the apostles who exhibited
‘blindness’ more than once. After the cure the man followed Jesus along the
way. Let us join the people who saw this and give praise to God.
Saint Agnes of Assisi
Saint of the Day for November 19
(c. 1197 – November 16, 1253)
 |
| Saint Agnes of Assisi | France | gift of E. Royall Tyler |
Saint Agnes of Assisi’s Story
Born Caterina Offreducia, Agnes was the younger sister of Saint Clare,
and her first follower. When Caterina left home two weeks after Clare’s
departure, their family attempted to bring her back by force. They tried to
drag her out of the monastery, but her body suddenly became so heavy that
several knights could not budge it. Her uncle Monaldo tried to strike her but
was temporarily paralyzed. The knights then left Caterina and Clare in peace.
Saint Francis himself gave Clare’s sister the name Agnes, because she was
gentle like a young lamb.
Agnes matched her sister in devotion to prayer and in
willingness to endure the strict penances that characterized the Poor Ladies’
lives at San Damiano. In 1221, a group of Benedictine nuns in Monticelli near
Florence asked to become Poor Ladies. Saint Clare sent Agnes to become
abbess of that monastery. Agnes soon wrote a rather sad letter about how much
she missed Clare and the other nuns at San Damiano. After establishing other
monasteries of Poor Ladies in northern Italy, Agnes was recalled to San Damiano
in 1253, as Clare lay dying.
Three months later Agnes followed Clare in death, and was
canonized in 1753.
Reflection
God must love irony; the world is so full of it. In 1212, many
in Assisi surely felt that Clare and Agnes were wasting their lives and were
turning their backs on the world. In reality, their lives were tremendously
life-giving, and the world has been enriched by the example of these poor
contemplatives.
LECTIO DIVINA: LUKE 18:35-43
Lectio Divina:
Monday, November 19, 2018
Ordinary Time
1) Opening prayer
Father of all that is good,
keep us faithful in serving you,
for to serve you is our lasting joy.
We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
keep us faithful in serving you,
for to serve you is our lasting joy.
We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
2) Gospel reading - Luke 18:35-43
Now it happened that as Jesus drew near
to Jericho there was a blind man sitting at the side of the road begging. When
he heard the crowd going past he asked what it was all about, and they told him
that Jesus the Nazarene was passing by. So he called out, “Jesus, Son of David,
have pity on me.” The people in front scolded him and told him to keep quiet,
but he only shouted all the louder, “Son of David, have pity on me.”
Jesus stopped and ordered them to bring the man to him, and when he came up, asked him "What do you want me to do for you?" "Sir," he replied, "let me see again." Jesus said to him, "Receive your sight. Your faith has saved you."
And instantly his sight returned and he followed Him praising God, and all the people who saw it gave praise to God.
Jesus stopped and ordered them to bring the man to him, and when he came up, asked him "What do you want me to do for you?" "Sir," he replied, "let me see again." Jesus said to him, "Receive your sight. Your faith has saved you."
And instantly his sight returned and he followed Him praising God, and all the people who saw it gave praise to God.
3) Reflection
• The Gospel today describes
Jesus’ arrival in Jericho. It is the last stop before Jesus goes to Jerusalem,
where His “Exodus”, according to what he announced in the Transfiguration scene
will take place.. He has also issued similar sentiments
along the way to Jerusalem (Lk 9, 44; 18, 31-33).
• Luke 18, 35-37: The blind man sitting on the side of the road. “Now it happened that as Jesus drew near to Jericho, there was a blind man sitting on the side of the road begging. When he heard the crowd going past he asked what it was all about. They told him that Jesus the Nazarene was passing by”. In the Gospel of Mark, the blind man is called Bartimaeus (Mk 10, 46). Since he was blind, he could not participate in the procession which accompanied Jesus. At that time, there may have been many blind people in Palestine possibly because of the strong sun and arid conditions.
• Luke 18, 38-39: The cry of the blind man and the reaction of the people. “Then he began to cry out: Jesus, Son of David, have pity on me!” He calls Jesus using the title “Son of David”. The teaching of that time taught that the Messiah would descend from David, a “Son of David”. Jesus did not like this title. In quoting the Messianic Psalm, he asks Himself: “How is it that the Messiah can be the son of David if even David calls him “My Lord?” (Lk 20, 41-44) The cry of the blind man bothers the people who accompany Jesus. thisConsequently, “The people in front scold him telling him to keep quiet.” However, “he only shouted all the louder, Son of David have pity on me!” This occurs in our timewhen the cry of the poor bothers in established society.
• Luke 18, 40-41: The reaction of Jesus before the cry of the blind man. And what does Jesus do?: Jesus stopped and ordered them to bring the man to him. Those who wanted to stop the blind man from shouting b, now are asked to help poor man to get to Jesus. The Gospel of Mark adds that the blind man left everything and went to Jesus. He did not have much, only his mantle to cover his body (cf. Es 22, 25-26). His mantle was his home! Today, Jesus listens to the cry of the poor which we do not want to hear. When he came up to Jesus, He asked him: “What do you want me to do for you?” It is not sufficient to shout or cry out. It is necessary to know why he is shouting! The blind man answers: “Lord that I may see again”.
• Luke 18, 42-43: Go! Your faith has saved you! And Jesus says “rReceive your sight. Your faith has saved you”. Immediately he recovers his sight and begins to follow Jesus praising God. And all the people, when they saw that, praised God. When the blind man calls Jesus itle that was uncomfortable, by the title “Son of David,” he probably bothered people. His faith in Jesus exceeded his ideas about Jesus. He did not demand anything as Peter did (Mk 8, 32-33). J. Healing is the fruit of his faith in Jesus. Once he wa cured, he follows Jesus and walks along with Him toward Jerusalem. In this way, he becomes a model disciple for all of us who want “to follow Jesus along the road” toward Jerusalem. This decision to walk with Jesus is the source of courage and seed of victory in the cross, The cross is not something fatal but rather an experience of God. It is a consequence of the decision to follow Jesus in obedience to the Father.
• Faith is a force which transforms the person. The Good News of the Kingdom announced by Jesus was a sort of fertilizer. It made the seed of life hidden in people grow. That seed lay hidden like fire under the ashes. . Jesus blew on the ashes and the fire ignited. The Kingdom appears and people rejoice. The condition was always the same: to believe in Jesus. The cure of the blind man clarifies a very important aspect of our faith. The blind man had faith and was cured despite his understanding of Jesus. He was converted and left everything behind and followed Jesus along the road toward Calvary! The full understanding of the following of Jesus is not obtained from a theoretical instruction but rather from a practical commitment walk with Him in the way of service. Anyone who insists, as Peter at one point does, that Messiahship comes without the cross, understands nothing of Jesus. attain Such a person does not have the attitude of a true disciple of Jesus. Anyone who believes in Jesus and gives himself (Lk 9, 23-24), anyone who accepts being last (Lk 22, 26), anyone who drinks the chalice of suffering and carries his/her cros (Mt 20, 22; Mk 10, 38), l will succeed in “following Jesus along the way” (Lk 18, 43). Walking with Jesus finds is the source of courage and provides the seed of victory in the cross.
• Luke 18, 35-37: The blind man sitting on the side of the road. “Now it happened that as Jesus drew near to Jericho, there was a blind man sitting on the side of the road begging. When he heard the crowd going past he asked what it was all about. They told him that Jesus the Nazarene was passing by”. In the Gospel of Mark, the blind man is called Bartimaeus (Mk 10, 46). Since he was blind, he could not participate in the procession which accompanied Jesus. At that time, there may have been many blind people in Palestine possibly because of the strong sun and arid conditions.
• Luke 18, 38-39: The cry of the blind man and the reaction of the people. “Then he began to cry out: Jesus, Son of David, have pity on me!” He calls Jesus using the title “Son of David”. The teaching of that time taught that the Messiah would descend from David, a “Son of David”. Jesus did not like this title. In quoting the Messianic Psalm, he asks Himself: “How is it that the Messiah can be the son of David if even David calls him “My Lord?” (Lk 20, 41-44) The cry of the blind man bothers the people who accompany Jesus. thisConsequently, “The people in front scold him telling him to keep quiet.” However, “he only shouted all the louder, Son of David have pity on me!” This occurs in our timewhen the cry of the poor bothers in established society.
• Luke 18, 40-41: The reaction of Jesus before the cry of the blind man. And what does Jesus do?: Jesus stopped and ordered them to bring the man to him. Those who wanted to stop the blind man from shouting b, now are asked to help poor man to get to Jesus. The Gospel of Mark adds that the blind man left everything and went to Jesus. He did not have much, only his mantle to cover his body (cf. Es 22, 25-26). His mantle was his home! Today, Jesus listens to the cry of the poor which we do not want to hear. When he came up to Jesus, He asked him: “What do you want me to do for you?” It is not sufficient to shout or cry out. It is necessary to know why he is shouting! The blind man answers: “Lord that I may see again”.
• Luke 18, 42-43: Go! Your faith has saved you! And Jesus says “rReceive your sight. Your faith has saved you”. Immediately he recovers his sight and begins to follow Jesus praising God. And all the people, when they saw that, praised God. When the blind man calls Jesus itle that was uncomfortable, by the title “Son of David,” he probably bothered people. His faith in Jesus exceeded his ideas about Jesus. He did not demand anything as Peter did (Mk 8, 32-33). J. Healing is the fruit of his faith in Jesus. Once he wa cured, he follows Jesus and walks along with Him toward Jerusalem. In this way, he becomes a model disciple for all of us who want “to follow Jesus along the road” toward Jerusalem. This decision to walk with Jesus is the source of courage and seed of victory in the cross, The cross is not something fatal but rather an experience of God. It is a consequence of the decision to follow Jesus in obedience to the Father.
• Faith is a force which transforms the person. The Good News of the Kingdom announced by Jesus was a sort of fertilizer. It made the seed of life hidden in people grow. That seed lay hidden like fire under the ashes. . Jesus blew on the ashes and the fire ignited. The Kingdom appears and people rejoice. The condition was always the same: to believe in Jesus. The cure of the blind man clarifies a very important aspect of our faith. The blind man had faith and was cured despite his understanding of Jesus. He was converted and left everything behind and followed Jesus along the road toward Calvary! The full understanding of the following of Jesus is not obtained from a theoretical instruction but rather from a practical commitment walk with Him in the way of service. Anyone who insists, as Peter at one point does, that Messiahship comes without the cross, understands nothing of Jesus. attain Such a person does not have the attitude of a true disciple of Jesus. Anyone who believes in Jesus and gives himself (Lk 9, 23-24), anyone who accepts being last (Lk 22, 26), anyone who drinks the chalice of suffering and carries his/her cros (Mt 20, 22; Mk 10, 38), l will succeed in “following Jesus along the way” (Lk 18, 43). Walking with Jesus finds is the source of courage and provides the seed of victory in the cross.
4) Personal questions
• How do I see and hear the cry of the
poor such as migrants, people of color, s AIDS sufferers, beggars, refugees
etc. ?
• How is my faith? Am I rigid in my ideas about Jesus ?.
• How is my faith? Am I rigid in my ideas about Jesus ?.
5) Concluding prayer
How blessed is anyone who rejects the
advice of the wicked
and does not take a stand in the path that sinners tread,
nor a seat in company with cynics,
but who delights in the law of Yahweh
and murmurs His law day and night. (Ps 1,1-2)
and does not take a stand in the path that sinners tread,
nor a seat in company with cynics,
but who delights in the law of Yahweh
and murmurs His law day and night. (Ps 1,1-2)
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