Contemplating today's Gospel
Today's Gospel + homily (in 300 words)
Then the king wrote to his whole kingdom that all should be one people, each abandoning his particular customs. All the Gentiles conformed to the command of the king, and many children of Israel were in favor of his religion; they sacrificed to idols and profaned the sabbath.
On the fifteenth day of the month Chislev, in the year one hundred and forty-five, the king erected the horrible abomination upon the altar of burnt offerings and in the surrounding cities of Judah they built pagan altars. They also burned incense at the doors of the houses and in the streets. Any scrolls of the law which they found they tore up and burnt. Whoever was found with a scroll of the covenant, and whoever observed the law, was condemned to death by royal decree. But many in Israel were determined and resolved in their hearts not to eat anything unclean; they preferred to die rather than to be defiled with unclean food or to profane the holy covenant; and they did die. Terrible affliction was upon Israel.
Though the snares of the wicked are twined about me, your law I have not forgotten.
Redeem me from the oppression of men, that I may keep your precepts.
I am attacked by malicious persecutors who are far from your law.
Far from sinners is salvation, because they seek not your statutes.
I beheld the apostates with loathing, because they kept not to your promise.
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.
“Your faith has saved you”
Fr. Antoni CAROL i Hostench (Sant Cugat del Vallès, Barcelona, Spain)Today, the blind beggar Bartimaeus (cf. Mk 10:46) gives us a complete lesson about faith, expressed with total simplicity in front of Christ. It would be good for us to repeat, every now and then, Bartimaeus' prayer: “Jesus, Son of David, have pity on me!” (Lk 18:37). It is so profitable for our soul to feel destitute! Because we certainly are though, unfortunately, very seldomly are we willing to admit it. And..., consequently, we make fools of ourselves. It is for that reason St. Paul reproaches us, when he says: “Who confers distinction upon you? What do you possess that you have not received? But if you have received it, why are you boasting as if you did not receive it?” (1Cor 4:7).
Bartimaeus is not ashamed of feeling like that. Quite often, our society, the culture of the “politically correct”, will try to shut us up: with Bartimaeus they were not able to. He did not shrink back: “The people (…) rebuked him, telling him to be silent, but he kept calling out all the more, “Son of David, have pity on me!” (Lk 18:39). What a wonderful thing! We feel like saying: Thank you Bartimaeus for this example.
And it does pay to do like him, because Jesus does listen. He always listens!, no matter how much noise some may make around us. Bartimaeus' simple but complete trust —uncomplicated— disarmed Jesus and got to His heart: “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?” (Lk 18:40-41). Before so much faith, Jesus does not waste his time! And... neither does Bartimaeus: “Lord, please let me see.” (Lk 18:41). And, no sooner said than done: “Have sight; your faith has saved you.” (Lk 18:42). Because, if “our faith is solid as a rock, it will also defend our home” (St. Ambrose), that is, it will overcome everything.
He is everything, He gives us everything. What else can we, then, do in His presence but give Him a reply of faith? And this “reply of faith” is equivalent to “let Him find us”, this God that —because of His affection for the Father— is looking for us from the very beginning. God does not impose Himself against our power of choice, but often enough He comes by close enough: let us, then, learn Bartimaeus' lesson and... let us not miss Him!
Thoughts on Today's Gospel
“Through prayer we succeed in being with God. Prayer is certainty for sailors.” (Saint Gregory of Nyssa)
“When humanity’s cry, like Bartimaeus’, becomes stronger still, there is no other response than to make Jesus’ words our own and, above all, imitate his heart. Today is a time of mercy!” (Francis)
“Faith makes us taste in advance the light of the beatific vision, the goal of our journey here below. Then we shall see God "face to face"(1 Cor 13:12), "as he is" (Jn 3:2). So faith is already the beginning of eternal life...” (Catechism of the Catholic Church, n 163)
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