28 Oct 2012, 30th Sunday in Ordinary Time; Saint Simon and Saint Jude

28 October, 2012

30th Sunday in Ordinary Time; Saint Simon and Saint Jude

FIRST READING
Jeremiah 31:7–9

Thus says the LORD:
Shout with joy for Jacob, exult at the head of the nations; proclaim your praise and say: The LORD has delivered his people, the remnant of Israel. Behold, I will bring them back from the land of the north; I will gather them from the ends of the world, with the blind and the lame in their midst, the mothers and those with child; they shall return as an immense throng. They departed in tears, but I will console them and guide them; I will lead them to brooks of water, on a level road, so that none shall stumble. For I am a father to Israel, Ephraim is my first-born.

RESPONSORIAL PSALM
Psalm 126:1–2, 2–3, 4–5, 6 (3)

R. The Lord has done great things for us; we are filled with joy.

When the LORD brought back the captives of Zion, we were like men dreaming. Then our mouth was filled with laughter, and our tongue with rejoicing.

R. The Lord has done great things for us; we are filled with joy.

Then they said among the nations, “The LORD has done great things for them.” The LORD has done great things for us; we are glad indeed.

R. The Lord has done great things for us; we are filled with joy.

Restore our fortunes, O LORD, like the torrents in the southern desert. Those that sow in tears shall reap rejoicing.

R. The Lord has done great things for us; we are filled with joy.

Although they go forth weeping, carrying the seed to be sown, they shall come back rejoicing, carrying their sheaves.

R. The Lord has done great things for us; we are filled with joy.

SECOND READING
Hebrews 5:1–6

Brothers and sisters:
Every high priest is taken from among men and made their representative before God, to offer gifts and sacrifices for sins. He is able to deal patiently with the ignorant and erring, for he himself is beset by weakness and so, for this reason, must make sin offerings for himself as well as for the people. No one takes this honor upon himself but only when called by God, just as Aaron was. In the same way, it was not Christ who glorified himself in becoming high priest, but rather the one who said to him: You are my son: this day I have begotten you; just as he says in another place: You are a priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek.

ALLELUIA
see 2 Timothy 1:10

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Our Savior Jesus Christ destroyed death and brought life to light through the Gospel.

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

GOSPEL
Mark 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.

REFLECTIONS:

Have you ever encountered a once in a life-time opportunity
you knew you could not pass up? Such a moment came for a blind and destitute
man, named Bartimaeus. He 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 a lot of
"guts" 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 Jesus' discourse. 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 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 disturbing his talk and his audience. Jesus showed that acting was
more important than talking. This man was in desperate 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.

Clement of Alexandria (150-215 AD), an early church father, comments
on Bartimaeus' faith with an exhortation that we, too, should put our faith
in the light of Christ's word:

The commandment of the Lord shines clearly, enlightening the
eyes. Receive Christ, receive power to see, receive your light, that you
may plainly recognize both God and man. More delightful than gold and precious
stones, more desirable than honey and the honeycomb is the Word that has
enlightened us (Cf. Psalm 19:10). How could he not be desirable, who illumined
minds buried in darkness, and endowed with clear vision the light-bearing
eyes of the soul? … Sing his praises, then, Lord, and make known to me
your Father, who is God. Your Word will save me, your song instruct me.
I have gone astray in my search for God; but now that you light my path,
Lord, I find God through you, and receive the Father from you, I become
co-heir with you, since you were not ashamed to own me as your brother.
Let us, then, shake off forgetfulness of truth, shake off the mist of ignorance
and darkness that dims our eyes, and contemplate the true God, after first
raising this song of praise to him: All hail, O light! For upon us buried
in darkness, imprisoned in the shadow of death, a heavenly light has shone,
a light of a clarity surpassing the suns, and of a sweetness exceeding
any this earthly life can offer. [Exhortation to the Greeks 11]

Do you recognize your need for God's healing grace and light, and do you
seek Jesus out, like Bartimaeus did, with persistent faith and trust in
his goodness and mercy?
"Lord Jesus, remove from me the darkness of sin and unbelief and give
me eyes of faith to recognize the truth of your word and your saving presence
in my life."