The
WORD today (see http://www.usccb.org/bible/readings/102818.cfm)
reminds me to have a strong and unwavering faith, like Bartimaeus.
One of my favorite movies is
Facing the Giants. In one scene, there was a story about two
farmers. Both of them desperately needed rain, so they prayed to God for rain.
But only one farmer prepared his field to receive it. Who showed greater faith?
Of course the one who prepared his field. God will send rain when he’s ready or
when the time is right. Question is, are we prepared to receive it?
God wants to see us with that
level of faith.
Sometimes we pray. We ask from
God but we do not really believe that what we pray for will come true.
Sometimes we don't have faith - faith in him, faith in his word, faith in his
power, faith in his goodness, faith in his love.
This is contrast to the blind
man in the gospel - Bartimaeus. He showed much faith. Great faith in
Jesus. Being a blind person, he begged by the roadside.
Probably he was really desperate, but definitely not
hopeless. When he heard that Jesus passed by, he gave all he got
and shouted to get Jesus’ attention. When asked by the people to
shut up, he did not lose hope, his spirit was not dampened,
instead, shouted louder. Makulit sya.
Minsan kailangang maging
makulit sa panalangin.
When he was called by people,
not Jesus, he showed even greater faith. Even if Jesus was not the one
personally called him, he knew that being summoned by Jesus would forever
change his life. What did he do? From sitting by the roadside, he threw
his cloak and sprang up to Jesus.
Wow, what great faith!
During those times, beggars
lived in the streets. Probably his cloak was his most
important possession – not because it was expensive or beautiful, but
because it helped him a lot. It protected him from
the weather, from the heat of the sun or the coldness of the wind, his cloak
was a big help. His action throwing away his cloak and running to Jesus was
like saying “Goodbye cloak, I won’t be needing you anymore!
This Jesus will cure me, and I won’t be blind anymore!”
He had full faith in the power
of Jesus, and he was not disappointed. Indeed, no one leaves the
presence of Jesus unchanged.
In life, we will not
always get immediate answers to our prayers. We will not immediately
get great results. However, this should not dampen our faith. In the same way
that Bartimaeus was not stopped by the people and circumstances, so should we.
God is faithful, and will not abandon those who cry out to him in full faith.
How about us? How do we react
when we don’t seem to get what we want in the first try? Do we get angry or
lose hope, or are we like the blind man whose faith was unwavering? What do I
pray for right now? Do I have faith that God can grant me that? Do I have faith
that he wants to, if it is according to His plan for me? Am I
willing to take a leap of faith? When God gives me what I pray for, do I
remember to thank Him and live my life following Him?
May we be inspired and always
have great faith in God.
Father God,
Thank you for
today. Thank you for another day to live. Thank you for another Sunday. Thank
you for your beautiful message. Thank you for reminding me that you do
not disappoint. Thank you for reminding me how powerful and loving you are.
Thank you for reminding me of how important faith is. Lord, sorry for the times
I do not have faith in you. Sorry for doubting you. Sorry for all my issues.
Lord, I ask that you help me improve my faith. May I have faith like
Bartimaeus. When faced with challenges or when I don’t get what I pray for, may
my faith get stronger and still do my part. May I be brave enough to take a
leap of faith, knowing you are there to guide and catch me. And Lord, when you
give me what I pray for, may I never forget to thank you and live my life
serving you. Amen
Blessed
Weekend!
In
Christ,
-g-
October 28,
2018
Thirtieth Sunday in Ordinary Time
Lectionary: 149
Lectionary: 149
Reading 1 JER 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.
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 PS 126:1-2, 2-3, 4-5, 6
R. (3) 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.
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.
Reading 2 HEB 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.
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 CF. 2 TM 1:10
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Our Savior Jesus Christ destroyed death
and brought life to light through the Gospel.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Our Savior Jesus Christ destroyed death
and brought life to light through the Gospel.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
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
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
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