Reading 1
Sir 42:15-25
Now will I recall God’s works;
what I have seen, I will describe.
At God’s word were his works brought into being;
they do his will as he has ordained for them.
As the rising 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 these, his hosts, the strength
to stand firm before his glory.
He plumbs the depths and penetrates the heart;
their innermost being he understands.
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.
No understanding does he lack;
no single thing escapes him.
Perennial is his almighty 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!
even to the spark and fleeting vision!
The universe lives and abides forever;
to meet each need, each creature is 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?
Ps 33:2-3, 4-5, 6-7, 8-9
Responsorial PsalmR. (6a)
By the word of the Lord the heavens were made.
Give thanks to the LORD on the harp;
with the ten-stringed lyre chant his praises.
Sing to him a new song;
pluck the strings skillfully, with shouts of gladness.
R. By the word of the Lord the heavens were made.
For upright is the word of the LORD
and all his works are trustworthy.
He loves justice and right;
of the kindness of the LORD the earth is full.
R. By the word of the Lord the heavens were made.
By the word of the Lord the heavens were made;
by the breath of his mouth all their host.
He gathers the waters of the sea as in a flask;
in cellars he confines the deep.
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 revere him.
For he spoke, and it was made;
he commanded, and it stood forth.
R. By the word of the Lord the heavens were made.
Gospel
Mk 10:46-52
As Jesus 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, Jesus 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.
Meditation: Mark 10:46-52
“What do you want me to do for you?” (Mark 10:51)
Bartimaeus must have been surprised to hear Jesus ask such a straightforward and generous question. But it didn’t take him long to reply: “Master, I want to see” (Mark 10:51).
How would you respond to this question? Would you ask for a mil-lion dollars? Would you look away and mumble something about not deserving anything? Or would you tell him that you want to be more like him?
Your answer doesn’t have to be hypothetical! It sounds outlandish, but it’s true: Every day Jesus asks this question of all of us. He is never too busy to hear our needs and requests. No petition is too small. And when we hesitate to ask him, the saints and angels gather around, urging us: “Get up! He is calling you!” (Mark 10:49).
Throughout its pages, Scripture encourages us to bring our needs to the Lord. Jesus himself gave us the “Our Father,” telling us to ask for our daily bread. He also promised that if we ask for anything in his name he would do it (John 14:13,14). He reminds us that if a parent knows how to give good gifts to their children, “How much more will your heavenly Father give good gifts to those who ask him!” (Matthew 7:11) Repeatedly, we see God drive this point home: Ask in Jesus’ name. Ask with the right motives. Ask in faith. I will give it to you, even the impossible.
As you faithfully petition God and await his answer, something else happens: You are entering into a deeper relationship with him. You are building faith. You are growing closer to him because you are opening the lines of communication. You are learning trust and perseverance because you may not see an immediate answer. And you are discovering how deeply he is committed to you and how much he wants to shape your heart to be like his.
So take heart and don’t delay. Jesus is waiting for your response. Ask him to do something for you today. Even better, pray for his kingdom to come more fully in your heart and in your environment. Let him teach you how to pray. Let him show you that he hears and answers every prayer.
“O Lord, I have only barely begun to see you! Teach me how to ask you in faith.”
No comments:
Post a Comment