Are We Blind?

October 24, Sunday

Thirtieth Sunday in Ordinary Time

 

Let all of us to whom God has given good eyes thank God wholeheartedly for the gift of sight. But today the Lord asks us: Do you see with the eyes of your heart what I am asking of you? Do you see the way I have shown you? Do you see the people I have placed on your way and are you aware of their needs and hungers? Do you see the beauty of the world I created and are you willing to keep it a marvel for you and your children? Let us ask the Lord in this Eucharist to open our eyes to God and people.

 

First Reading : Jeremiah 31:7-9

Oh yes, God says so:

“Shout for joy at the top of your lungs for Jacob!
    Announce the good news to the number-one nation!
Raise cheers! Sing praises. Say,
    ‘God has saved his people,
    saved the core of Israel.’

 “Watch what comes next:

“I’ll bring my people back
    from the north country
And gather them up from the ends of the earth,
    gather those who’ve gone blind
And those who are lame and limping,
    gather pregnant women,
Even the mothers whose birth pangs have started,
    bring them all back, a huge crowd!

 “Watch them come! They’ll come weeping for joy
    as I take their hands and lead them,
Lead them to fresh flowing brooks,
    lead them along smooth, uncluttered paths.
Yes, it’s because I’m Israel’s Father
    and Ephraim’s my firstborn son!

 

Second Reading : Hebrews 5:1-6

Every high priest selected to represent men and women before God and offer sacrifices for their sins should be able to deal gently with their failings, since he knows what it’s like from his own experience. But that also means that he has to offer sacrifices for his own sins as well as the peoples’.

No one elects himself to this honoured position. He’s called to it by God, as Aaron was. Neither did Christ presume to set himself up as high priest, but was set apart by the One who said to him, “You’re my Son; today I celebrate you!” In another place God declares, “You’re a priest forever in the royal order of Melchizedek.”

 

Gospel: Mark 10:46-52

They spent some time in Jericho. As Jesus was leaving town, trailed by his disciples and a parade of people, a blind beggar by the name of Bartimaeus, son of Timaeus, was sitting alongside the road. When he heard that Jesus the Nazarene was passing by, he began to cry out, “Son of David, Jesus! Mercy, have mercy on me!” Many tried to hush him up, but he yelled all the louder, “Son of David! Mercy, have mercy on me!”

Jesus stopped in his tracks. “Call him over.”

They called him. “It’s your lucky day! Get up! He’s calling you to come!” Throwing off his coat, he was on his feet at once and came to Jesus.

 Jesus said, “What can I do for you?”

The blind man said, “Rabbi, I want to see.”

 “On your way,” said Jesus. “Your faith has saved and healed you.”

In that very instant he recovered his sight and followed Jesus down the road.

 

Prayer
Our living God,
you are very near to us in our joys and pains.
Give us the eyes of faith and love to see
the mission you have given us in life
and the courage and grace 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. Amen.

 

Reflection:

Mission Sunday

We cannot but speak about what we have seen and heard (Acts 4:20). This is the theme Pope Francis has chosen for this year’s World Mission Sunday. Our experience of Christ and his love and mercy fails to have any meaning until we choose to share it with others. “Once we experience the power of God’s love, we cannot help but proclaim and share what we have seen and heard,” the pope wrote in his message for the Mission Sunday.

Today’s passage from Mark’s Gospel indicates the mission we are called upon to perform: “Go out to the whole world and proclaim the Good News to all creation.” The good news should be announced, “to every creature.” It is the message of life and love. On this Mission Sunday, let us be reminded of our mission towards the universe – our common home. That is why Climate Action should be considered an integral part of our life as Christians. Destroying nature is a sin and caring for the nature is our mission.

In the second part of the passage (vs. 17-18) Mark lists five signs through which the Risen Christ manifests his presence: “Those who have believed will cast out demons and speak new languages; they will pick up snakes and if they drink anything poisonous, they will be unharmed; they will lay their hands on the sick, and they will be healed.”

These unusual wonders seems strange, difficult to see and extremely rare to happen. The prophets used these and such other images as symbolisms to describe the messianic times and the new world. We hear in the prophecy of Isaiah: “The wolf will dwell with the lamb, the leopard will rest beside the kid. By the cobra’s den, the infant will play” (Is 11:6-8). Isaiah did not intend to announce a phenomenal change of the aggressive and dangerous nature of animals. He promised the end of the struggles and enmities that exist in the world. In the kingdom of God, there would be no place for hostility, rivalry, mutual aggression among people.

The concluding sentence of Mark’s Gospel: “… The Lord worked with them and confirmed the message by the signs that accompanied it” (v. 20) testifies to the belief of the first disciples of not being alone, but always having the Lord Jesus next to them.

World Mission Sunday brings us three points to reflect:
1. Remember with gratitude all the missionaries of the past and the present for their commitment to the cause of the Gospel and pray for them.
2. Join hands in support of the mission through prayers and material help.
3. The Church reminds us: “You are a missionary.”

October 24 is also the memoria of St. Antony Mary Claret, a man on fire with God’s love, dedicated his life to make the Gospel of Jesus proclaimed through all possible means. He founded the missionary congregation of the Sons of the Heart of Mary, who are also known as the Claretian Missionaries. On this Mission Sunday, join the efforts of the missionaries, and support the mission of proclaiming the Gospel.

 

Video available on Youtube: Mission Sunday