Memorial of Saint Elizabeth of Hungary, Religious
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.
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."
 Seeing with Faith |
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November 17, 2014. Memorial of Saint Elizabeth of
Hungary, Religious
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By 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.
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MONDAY, NOVEMBER 17, LUKE 18:35-43
(Revelation 1:1-4, 2:1-5; Psalm 1)
(Revelation 1:1-4, 2:1-5; Psalm 1)
.jpe)
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 out, 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.
Memorial of Elizabeth of Hungary, religious
Elizabeth was the daughter of King Andrew of Hungary, and she was the Great-aunt of St. Elizabeth of Portugal. She married Prince Louis at age 13. Elizabeth built a hospital at the foot of the mountain on which her castle stood, and tended to the sick herself. Her family and courtiers opposed this, but she insisted she would only follow Christ's teachings. Once when she was taking food to the poor and sick, Prince Louis stopped her and looked under her mantle to see what she was carrying. The food had been miraculously changed to roses. Upon Louis' death, Elizabeth sold all that she had, and worked to support her four children. Her gifts of bread to the poor, and of a large gift of grain to a famine stricken Germany, led to her patronage of bakers and related fields.
Monday 17 November 2014
St Elizabeth of Hungary.
Apocalypse 1:1-4; 2:1-5. Those who are victorious I will feed from
the tree of life—Ps 1:1-4, 6. Luke 18:35-43.
The healing of the blind
man highlights the place of desire in our relationship with God.
It would seem obvious that
the blind man would have sought to have his sight restored. Nevertheless Jesus
asks him, ‘What do you want me to do for you?’ In articulating his desire, the
blind man reveals the extent of his faith.
The dialogue with Jesus
also contrasts the attempts by the crowd to silence the blind man. Those at the
margins of society are frequently denied a voice furthering their isolation
from the community. Once healed, the blind man is reintegrated into the
community as one of Jesus’ followers. Not only has his sight been restored but
his identity as well.
Like the blind man, many
people—including asylum seekers, Indigenous people and the mentally ill—are
denied a voice and relegated to the margins. As followers of Jesus, we are
encouraged to be attentive to the desires of the poor among us and to do our
utmost to bring them back into the fold of the community.
MINUTE MEDITATIONS
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Surrender to Jesus
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O Lord Jesus, I believe in you, I hope in you, I love you, and I
grieve of having ever offended you! Behold my resolution to live entirely for
you. –St. John Neumann
November 17
St. Elizabeth of Hungary
(1207-1231)
St. Elizabeth of Hungary
(1207-1231)
In her short life Elizabeth manifested such great love for the
poor and suffering that she has become the patroness of Catholic charities and
of the Secular Franciscan Order. The daughter of the King of Hungary, Elizabeth
chose a life of penance and asceticism when a life of leisure and luxury could
easily have been hers. This choice endeared her in the hearts of the common
people throughout Europe.
At the
age of 14 Elizabeth was married to Louis of Thuringia (a German principality),
whom she deeply loved; she bore three children. Under the spiritual direction
of a Franciscan friar, she led a life of prayer, sacrifice and service to the
poor and sick. Seeking to become one with the poor, she wore simple clothing.
Daily she would take bread to hundreds of the poorest in the land, who came to
her gate.
After six
years of marriage, her husband died in the Crusades, and Elizabeth was
grief-stricken. Her husband’s family looked upon her as squandering the royal
purse, and mistreated her, finally throwing her out of the palace. The return
of her husband’s allies from the Crusades resulted in her being reinstated,
since her son was legal heir to the throne.
In 1228,
Elizabeth joined the Secular Franciscan Order, spending the remaining few years
of her life caring for the poor in a hospital which she founded in honor of St.
Francis. Elizabeth’s health declined, and she died before her 24th birthday in 1231.
Her great popularity resulted in her canonization four years later.
Comment:
Elizabeth understood well the lesson Jesus taught when he washed his disciples' feet at the Last Supper: The Christian must be one who serves the humblest needs of others, even if one serves from an exalted position. Of royal blood, Elizabeth could have lorded it over her subjects. Yet she served them with such a loving heart that her brief life won for her a special place in the hearts of many. Elizabeth is also an example to us in her following the guidance of a spiritual director. Growth in the spiritual life is a difficult process. We can play games very easily if we don't have someone to challenge us or to share experiences so as to help us avoid pitfalls.
Elizabeth understood well the lesson Jesus taught when he washed his disciples' feet at the Last Supper: The Christian must be one who serves the humblest needs of others, even if one serves from an exalted position. Of royal blood, Elizabeth could have lorded it over her subjects. Yet she served them with such a loving heart that her brief life won for her a special place in the hearts of many. Elizabeth is also an example to us in her following the guidance of a spiritual director. Growth in the spiritual life is a difficult process. We can play games very easily if we don't have someone to challenge us or to share experiences so as to help us avoid pitfalls.
Quote:
"Today, there is an inescapable duty to make ourselves the neighbor of every individual, without exception, and to take positive steps to help a neighbor whom we encounter, whether that neighbor be an elderly person, abandoned by everyone, a foreign worker who suffers the injustice of being despised, a refugee, an illegitimate child wrongly suffering for a sin of which the child is innocent, or a starving human being who awakens our conscience by calling to mind the words of Christ: 'As long as you did it for one of these, the least of my brethren, you did it for me' (Matthew 25:40)" (Vatican II, Pastoral Constitution on the Church in the Modern World, 27, Austin Flannery translation).
"Today, there is an inescapable duty to make ourselves the neighbor of every individual, without exception, and to take positive steps to help a neighbor whom we encounter, whether that neighbor be an elderly person, abandoned by everyone, a foreign worker who suffers the injustice of being despised, a refugee, an illegitimate child wrongly suffering for a sin of which the child is innocent, or a starving human being who awakens our conscience by calling to mind the words of Christ: 'As long as you did it for one of these, the least of my brethren, you did it for me' (Matthew 25:40)" (Vatican II, Pastoral Constitution on the Church in the Modern World, 27, Austin Flannery translation).
Patron Saint of:
Bakers
Bakers
LECTIO DIVINA:
LUKE 18,35-43
Lectio:
Monday, November 17, 2014
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 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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