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 Psalm Ps 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.
Gospel Lk 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.
www.usccb.org
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. It took raw courage 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 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 rebuffed
him because he was interrupting his talk and disturbing his audience. Jesus
showed that acting was more important than talking. This man was in desparate
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. 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. Clement of Alexandria, a 4th 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."
www.dailyscripture.net
 Seeing with Faith |
|
Monday of the Thirty-Third Week in Ordinary
Time
|
|
Father John Doyle, LC
Luke 18:35-43
Now 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.
Introductory Prayer: Lord Jesus, you are the Alpha and the
Omega. You have given me life and offer me eternal life with you. You deserve
my honor, gratitude and love, and yet you never impose yourself upon me.
Thank you for respecting my freedom so that I can offer myself to you. All
that I have is yours; I return it to you.
Petition: Lord, grant me greater faith in your
constant and continual presence in my life.
1. Begging by the Roadside: How many times in
life have we felt like this blind beggar sitting by the roadside,
down-and-out and hard on luck – physically, spiritually or emotionally?
Witnessing our distress, some people simply walked by without a care. Maybe
they tossed us a coin, though they didn’t really help us out of our
discouragement or difficulty. Others might have jeered at us or not dared to
look at us. Some may even have scolded us, like the people in the Gospel
telling the beggar “to be silent.” Just as the blind beggar of today’s Gospel
could not give himself what he most desired – sight, we are unable to give
ourselves what we most need – faith. Do I regularly ask for an increase of
faith? Am I aware of how much I need a strong faith?
2. Jesus Is Passing By: The book of Job tells
us that “human beings have a hard service on earth” (Job 7:1). It shouldn’t
be surprising, then, when in our lives as Christians we take some real blows
and even some falls. God doesn’t want us to become discouraged. He wants us
to see these as opportunities to turn to him, the source of the strength and
help we need. Other voices will tell us to be quiet and not bother the
Master: “After all, you just need to work things out”, “With so much going
on, how can you find time to pray?” Jesus constantly passes by. He is the
only one who can bring me the peace my heart desires and longs for. “Jesus,
Son of David, have pity on me!”
3. Lord, Please Let Me See: Jesus promises us
that he will listen to our request, just as he did to the blind man. But what
should our request be? To have a more comfortable stool so as to sit by the
road and beg with ease? To have a beautiful silver cup to collect coins in?
Or to see? Often what we really need is not what we ask for in prayer. We
need the vision that only the supernatural virtue of faith can give. We need
the ability to see everything from God’s vantage point and to see how the
difficulties and trials we experience are part of a bigger picture. We need
to have the firm assurance of the final victory of the Lamb, Jesus, and the
strength to persevere in fidelity. Lord, please let me see… Please increase
my faith.
Conversation with Christ: Lord Jesus, allow me
to praise and glorify you for your constant companionship and for never
leaving me alone in my struggles and trials. Increase my faith so that I will
be able to experience your love even amidst difficulty and trials.
Resolution:I will pray three “Our Fathers” for an increase of faith
among my family members.
|
www.regnumchristi.com
MONDAY, NOVEMBER 19
LUKE 18:35-43
(Revelation 1:1-4, 2:1-5; Psalm 1)
KEY VERSE: "Have sight; your faith has saved you"
(v 42).
READING: Jesus took the Twelve aside to prepare them
for his eventual death in Jerusalem, but they understood nothing of what he
said (Lk 18:31-34). Then Jesus and his disciples approached the city gates of Jericho,
twenty-four miles northeast of Jerusalem, where beggars appealed to travelers
for alms. When a blind man ("Bartimaeus" in Mark 10:46) heard that
Jesus was passing by, he called addressing
him as the "Son
of David." This was the Messianic title that promised
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 eyesight was restored, he gave God the
glory and followed Jesus as a disciple. This miracle caused many others to
give praise to God.
REFLECTING: How can I help others
"see" the Lord?
PRAYING: Lord Jesus, help me to recognize my own blind spots.
www.daily-word-of-life.com
Those
who are victorious I will feed from the tree of life
We see Jesus restoring sight to a blind person. 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.
It is natural to draw the parallel between physical and spiritual blindness. The blind man is aware of both in himself. He addresses Jesus with his messianic title, ‘Son of David’, revealing his faith in Jesus, who says, ‘Receive your sight, your faith has saved you.’ We may hear Jesus saying those words to ourselves and respond.
www.churchresources.info
November 19
St. Agnes of Assisi
1197-1253
St. Agnes of Assisi
1197-1253
Agnes was the sister of St. Clare and
her first follower. When Agnes left home two weeks after Clare’s departure,
their family attempted to bring Agnes back by force. They tried to drag her out
of the monastery, but all of a sudden her body 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 Agnes and Clare in peace.
Agnes matched
her sister in devotion to prayer and in willingness to endure the strict
penances which characterized their lives at San Damiano. In 1221 a group of
Benedictine nuns in Monticelli (near Florence) asked to become Poor Clares. St.
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 Poor Clare monasteries in northern Italy, Agnes was
recalled to San Damiano in 1253 when Clare was dying.
Agnes followed
Clare in death three months later. Agnes was canonized in 1753.
Comment:
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.
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.
Quote:
Charles de Foucauld, founder of the Little Brothers and Sisters of Jesus, said: "One must pass through solitude and dwell in it to receive God’s grace. It is there that one empties oneself, that one drives before oneself all that is not God, and that one completely empties this little house of our soul to leave room for God alone. In doing this, do not fear being unfaithful toward creatures. On the contrary, that is the only way for you to serve them effectively" (Raphael Brown,Franciscan Mystic, p. 126).
Charles de Foucauld, founder of the Little Brothers and Sisters of Jesus, said: "One must pass through solitude and dwell in it to receive God’s grace. It is there that one empties oneself, that one drives before oneself all that is not God, and that one completely empties this little house of our soul to leave room for God alone. In doing this, do not fear being unfaithful toward creatures. On the contrary, that is the only way for you to serve them effectively" (Raphael Brown,Franciscan Mystic, p. 126).
www.americancatholic.org
St. Nerses the
Great
Feastday: November
19
Died: 373
 |
| St.Nerses the Great |
Bishop and martyr,
the father of St. Isaac the Great. A native of Armenia, he studied in
Cappadocia and wed a princess who gave birth to Isaac. After she died, he
served as a chamber lain in the court of King Arshak of Armenia. In 353 he was
made Catholicos of the Armenians. Nerses devoted much effort to reforming the
Armenian Church, including convening a synod in 365 based on the principles he
had studied under St. Basil at Caesarea. Though he established hospitals and
monasteries, his reforms and denunciation of King Arshak’s murder of the queen
led to his exile. He returned after Arshak’s death in battle, but relations
were not much better with the new Armenian ruler, Pap, whose dissolute
lifestyle caused Nerses to refuse him admission into church. Nerses was invited
to a royal banquet at Khakh, on the Euphrates River, and was assassinated by
poison.
www.catholic.org
ST. RAPHAEL OF ST.
JOSEPH (OCD), PRIEST (M)
Liturgy: Monday,
November 19, 2012
.jpg) |
| St.Raphael of St.Joseph |
Raphael of St. Joseph
(in lay life: Joseph Kalinowski) was born at Vilna to a Polish family on 1st
September 1835 and died at Wadowice on 15th November 1907. Graduating in
engineering at the Academy of Military Sciences at St. Petersburgh, he was
appointed to the fortress at Brest Litowski and later promoted to be Chief of
Staff in the Russian Army.
In spite of his desire
to leave the military life, he took part in the rising against the Czarist
occupying forces in Poland, accepting the position of Minister of War in Vilna.
The night of the 24th March 1864, he was arrested and put in prison where he
was condemned to death but the sentence was later commuted to ten years forced
labour in Siberia. He was freed in 1874 and returned to Poland. Being forbidden
to live in any of the main Polish cities, he took up a post as tutor to the
young Prince Augusto Czartoryski who spent most of his time in Paris.
In 1877, Raphael
joined the Carmelites. He was ordained priest in 1882 and began an apostolate
centred on the confessional, in the giving of spiritual direction and being
full of enthusiasm for ecumenism, he worked strongly for unity in the Church. A
great devotee of Our Lady, he revived the Discalced Carmelite Order in Poland.
He was canonized by Pope John Paul II on 17th November 1991.
www.ocarm.org
LECTIO: LUKE 18,35-43
Lectio:
Monday,
November 19, 2012
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 the arrival of
Jesus to Jericho. It is the last stop before going up to Jerusalem, where the
“Exodus” of Jesus will take place, according to what he announced in his
Transfiguration (Lk 9, 31) and along the way up 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 were many blind people in Palestine, because the strong sun which hit the whitened rocky earth hurt the eyes which were not protected.
• 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 catechism of that time taught that the Messiah would be of the descent of David, “Son of David”, a glorious Messiah. 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. Because of this, “The people in front scolded him and told him to keep quiet. They tried to stop him but he only shouted all the louder, Son of David have pity on me!” Even up to our time the cry of the poor bothers the established society: migrants, beggars, refugees, sick with AIDS, and so many!
• 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 because this bothered them, now asked by Jesus, are obliged to help the 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 too much; only his mantle. That is what he possessed to cover his body (cf. Es 22, 25-26). That was his security! That was his land! Today, also, Jesus listens to the cry of the poor which, we, many times 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: Receive your sight. Your faith has saved you“. Immediately he recovered his sight and began to follow Jesus praising God. And all the people, when they saw that, praised God.” The blind man had called Jesus with an idea which was not totally correct, because the title “Son of David” was not completely correct. But he had greater faith in Jesus than in his ideas about Jesus. He did not demand anything like Peter did (Mk 8, 32-33). He knew how to give his life accepting Jesus without imposing any conditions. Healing is the fruit of his faith in Jesus. Once he was 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: to believe more in Jesus and not so much in our ideas about Jesus! In this decision to walk with Jesus is found the source of courage and the seed of the victory on the cross. Because the cross is not something fatal, but it is an experience of God. It is the consequence of the commitment of Jesus, in obedience to the Father, to serve the brothers and not to accept privileges!
• 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 to grow; that seed hidden like the fire under the ashes of observance without life. Jesus blew on the ashes and the fire lit up. The Kingdom appears and the 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. Even calling Jesus with ideas which are not completely correct, the blind man had faith and he was cured. He was converted; he 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, walking together with Him along the way of service, from Galilee to Jerusalem. Anyone who insists in keeping the idea of Peter, that is, of the glorious Messiah without a cross, will understand nothing of Jesus and will not succeed in attaining the attitude of a true disciple of Jesus. Anyone who knows how to believe in Jesus and gives himself (Lk 9, 23-24), anyone who knows how to accept to be last (Lk 22, 26), who knows how to drink the chalice and to carry his/her own cross (Mt 20, 22; Mk 10, 38), this one, like the blind man, even not having ideas completely correct, will succeed “to follow Jesus along the way” (Lk 18, 43). In this certainty of walking together with Jesus is found the source of courage and the seed of victory on 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 were many blind people in Palestine, because the strong sun which hit the whitened rocky earth hurt the eyes which were not protected.
• 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 catechism of that time taught that the Messiah would be of the descent of David, “Son of David”, a glorious Messiah. 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. Because of this, “The people in front scolded him and told him to keep quiet. They tried to stop him but he only shouted all the louder, Son of David have pity on me!” Even up to our time the cry of the poor bothers the established society: migrants, beggars, refugees, sick with AIDS, and so many!
• 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 because this bothered them, now asked by Jesus, are obliged to help the 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 too much; only his mantle. That is what he possessed to cover his body (cf. Es 22, 25-26). That was his security! That was his land! Today, also, Jesus listens to the cry of the poor which, we, many times 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: Receive your sight. Your faith has saved you“. Immediately he recovered his sight and began to follow Jesus praising God. And all the people, when they saw that, praised God.” The blind man had called Jesus with an idea which was not totally correct, because the title “Son of David” was not completely correct. But he had greater faith in Jesus than in his ideas about Jesus. He did not demand anything like Peter did (Mk 8, 32-33). He knew how to give his life accepting Jesus without imposing any conditions. Healing is the fruit of his faith in Jesus. Once he was 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: to believe more in Jesus and not so much in our ideas about Jesus! In this decision to walk with Jesus is found the source of courage and the seed of the victory on the cross. Because the cross is not something fatal, but it is an experience of God. It is the consequence of the commitment of Jesus, in obedience to the Father, to serve the brothers and not to accept privileges!
• 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 to grow; that seed hidden like the fire under the ashes of observance without life. Jesus blew on the ashes and the fire lit up. The Kingdom appears and the 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. Even calling Jesus with ideas which are not completely correct, the blind man had faith and he was cured. He was converted; he 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, walking together with Him along the way of service, from Galilee to Jerusalem. Anyone who insists in keeping the idea of Peter, that is, of the glorious Messiah without a cross, will understand nothing of Jesus and will not succeed in attaining the attitude of a true disciple of Jesus. Anyone who knows how to believe in Jesus and gives himself (Lk 9, 23-24), anyone who knows how to accept to be last (Lk 22, 26), who knows how to drink the chalice and to carry his/her own cross (Mt 20, 22; Mk 10, 38), this one, like the blind man, even not having ideas completely correct, will succeed “to follow Jesus along the way” (Lk 18, 43). In this certainty of walking together with Jesus is found the source of courage and the seed of victory on the cross.
4) Personal
questions
• How do I see and hear the cry of the poor:
migrants, Negroes, sick of AIDS, beggars, refugees, and so many others?
• How is my faith: am I more fixed on my ideas about Jesus or on Jesus?
• How is my faith: am I more fixed on my ideas about Jesus or on 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 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)
www.ocarm.org
Không có nhận xét nào:
Đăng nhận xét