Word to the Wise
Sunday, October 28, 2018 - 30th Sunday in Ordinary Time - B
[Jer 31:7-9; Heb 5:1-6; Mark 10:46-52]SUNDAY, OCTOBER 28, 2018. THIRTIETH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME [ Jeremiah 31:7-9; Hebrews 5:1-6; Mark 10:46-52] 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.” Immediately he received his sight and followed him on the way. [Mark] Blind Bartimaeus has much to teach us. His story begins with hearing that Jesus of “Nazareth” is passing by. But that is not what he cries out. He cries out, “Jesus, Son of David...” which shows the recognition of faith in Jesus as messiah. In short, the blind man is already seeing with the eyes of faith. The crowd does not recognize that faith and tries to silence him. But his cry of faith is heard by Jesus. The crowd does a 180 degree turn and says, “Take courage; get up, Jesus is calling you!” Then Jesus asks that question which should echo in all of us: “What do you want me to do for you?” The response is one that all of us could say, “Master, I want to see.” Every year, I see this encounter played out in the stories of those who enter the church through the RCIA program. But I also see it in the desire of so many students trying to make their way through college without losing their faith. The cry of faith can get lost in a church that is focused on its own agenda. The recent Synod of Bishops on ministry to youth is an effort to change this, to listen and challenge: “Take courage: get up, Jesus is calling you.” All of us, by virtue of our baptism, are called by Jesus. All of us, however, can be subject to may things that can blind us to to that reality. If we can take courage and cry out to Jesus for the ability to truly see and follow him on the way, we can be sure Jesus will respond. He is not a figure of the “distant past or a distant heaven.” He is passing by every day. We can pray that we do not rebuke those who cry out to him. AMEN
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