Thursday May 27

EIGHTH WEEK OF ORDINARY TIME

 

SEEING WITH EYES OF FAITH

                                                                              

Introduction

Ben Sirach invites us to see the works of God with eyes of faith and to admire them. In this way, we share a bit in the view of God himself, who knows and sees everything, even what goes on in the deepest of our hearts. Seeing with faith is sharing in the wisdom of God.

Jesus cures a blind man. Not only is his eyesight restored, but he also begins to see with faith who Jesus is. Note that the crowd first try to silence him but his faith is unstoppable and cannot be silenced.

 

Opening Prayer

Our living God,
you  are very near to us in our joys and pains.
Give us eyes of faith and love to see
the mission you have given us in life
and the grace and courage to carry it out.
Make us also clear-sighted enough to see
the needs of people who cry out their misery
or suffer in silence,
that we may bring them your healing compassion
and lead them to you.
We ask this through Christ, our Lord.

 

READING 1:  Sir 42:15-25

Now will I recall God’s works;

what I have seen, I will describe.

By the LORD’s word his works were brought into being;

he accepts the one who does his will.

As the shining sun is clear to all,

so the glory of the LORD fills all his works;

Yet even God’s holy ones must fail

in recounting the wonders of the LORD,

Though God has given his hosts the strength

to stand firm before his glory.

He searches out the abyss and penetrates the heart;

their secrets he understands.

For the Most High possesses all knowledge,

and sees from of old the things that are to come.

He makes known the past and the future,

and reveals the deepest secrets.

He lacks no understanding;

no single thing escapes him.

He regulates the mighty deeds of his wisdom;

he is from all eternity one and the same,

With nothing added, nothing taken away;

no need of a counselor for him!

How beautiful are all his works,

delightful to gaze upon and a joy to behold!

Everything lives and abides forever;

and to meet each need all things are preserved.

All of them differ, one from another,

yet none of them has he made in vain;

For each in turn, as it comes, is good;

can one ever see enough of their splendor?

 

Responsorial Psalm: Ps 33:2-3, 4-5, 6-7, 8-9

R: By the word of the Lord the heavens were made.

Give thanks to the LORD on the harp;

on the ten-stringed lyre offer praise.

Sing to him a new song;

skillfully play with joyful chant.

R: By the word of the Lord the heavens were made

For the LORD’s word is upright;

all his works are trustworthy.

He loves justice and right.

The earth is full of the mercy of the LORD.

R: By the word of the Lord the heavens were made

By the LORD’s word the heavens were made;

by the breath of his mouth all their host.

He gathered the waters of the sea as a mound;

he sets the deep into storage vaults.

R: By the word of the Lord the heavens were made

Let all the earth fear the LORD;

let all who dwell in the world show him reverence.

For he spoke, and it came to be,

commanded, and it stood in place.

R: By the word of the Lord the heavens were made

 

Alleluia: Jn 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

 

Gospel : Mk 10:46-52

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

 

Intentions

–   Lord, see the eyes of children open to life; see the eyes full of hope of those who believe in your future and fill them with your light, we pray:

–   Lord, see the eyes of those who suffer; see the lifeless eyes of those who are physically blind, we pray:

–   Lord, see the eyes of those who fail to see others; see the eyes full of tears of those who mourn for those they loved, we pray:

 

Prayer over the Gifts

Our living and loving God,
the whole world is a sign of you:
your beauty is reflected in every flower
and each ray of the sun shines with your light.
Give each of us a grateful heart
that rejoices in simple things.
Give us new eyes to discover,
in these signs of bread and wine,
the love and the life of Jesus, your Son,
and give us faith to see how good it is
to be your people in Jesus Christ, our Lord.

 

Prayer after Communion

God, our loving Father,
we have heard and seen your Son
and recognized him
in the breaking of bread.
Help us to see with his light
what is right and what is wrong in us.
Make us understand the deeper meaning
of suffering and pain.
And one day show us yourself as you are,
Father, Son and Holy Spirit, for ever and ever.

 

Blessing

May God give to all of us eyes of faith and may he bless you, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.

 

Commentary

Today’s Gospel text tells us about the healing of the blind Bartimaeus. On the side of the road he cries out to Jesus who was passing by: “Son of David, have mercy on me.”

The name Timaeus is derived from the Greek word meaning respect or fear. The blind man was named as the son of the fearful one. But he displays great courage in shouting for mercy even as the crowd were trying to silence him.

Deep down we are all blind, Bartimaeus’ advantage over us is that he knew it, he was aware of his blindness and therefore capable of crying out to the Lord who is passing by. We are not so aware of our blindness; we have a false confidence that we see clearly. That is why we judge, denounce and condemn … God alone knows the human heart and the why of things.

Bartimaeus is the image of the disciple who finally opens his eyes to the light of the Master and decides to follow him along the way. Only those who realize that they are leading a meaningless, unacceptable life, decide to look for a way out. Bartimaeus is not resigned to the darkness in which he is immersed. One day “He hears about Jesus” and understands the chance of a lifetime is presented to him: He screams, asking for help; he no longer wants to stay in his state of life. But there are difficulties to overcome. He immediately feels thwarted in his effort to encounter the light of heaven. Yet he is not discouraged, is not ashamed of his condition, does not hide his anguish; he cries, asks for help from one who can open his eyes.

Jesus stops! It is an invitation to joy and hope: “Take heart! Get up, he is calling you” (v. 49). Bartimaeus “jumps up, throws off his cloak and runs” to Jesus. These gestures have a symbolic value. The mantle was considered the only asset owned by the poor. The act of abandoning it, along with a few coins that passers-by kindly placed there, indicates the complete detachment from his previous life. He is no longer interested in the life he has up to that moment.

Anyone who comes to Christ must not fancy for a comfortable and trouble-free life. The experience of Bartimaeus teaches that the journey that awaits those who have received the light is very difficult; it forces one to rethink habits, behavior and friendships. It demands that life, time, goods are managed in a radically new way. Who wants to be enlightened by Christ must choose between the old mantle and the new light.

Jesus is the light that illuminates everything, fills everything with life and meaning. That is why when Jesus opens our eyes we cannot but follow him along the way, because we have discovered the light.