Thirtieth Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year B_102421 - The Courage to Beg

Deacon Tom Writes,

“The Courage to Beg”

Thirtieth Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year B

Today we hear the familiar story of Bartimaeus, a man whose disability sets the stage for his encounter with Jesus. It’s an ordinary day; Bartimaeus sets up on the side of the road to do the only thing he is able to do…Beg. His blindness makes him vulnerable and without the help of others, his life would go from bad to worse. How excited he must have been when he heard the crowd approaching! Perhaps, he might have thought, their generosity would get him through a couple of days, please God! But in reality, a greater gift awaited him.

In some ways we are like Bartimaeus. We routinely set out each day trying to secure the necessities of life, to earn enough to pay the mortgage, the orthodontist, buy groceries, fill the gas tank of the car. Yes, we need these things to provide for our families. That’s keeping it real. But there is more to life than the things that money can buy. Ironically, Bartimaeus, the blind man, helps open our eyes to the fact that our very well-being, over very existence depends totally on someone else, and that someone else is God.

It takes courage for Bartimaeus to continue calling out to Jesus when those around him demand his silence. It seems that blind Bartimaeus recognizes Jesus’ true identity as the “Son of David.” He cries out, not for a handout to get him through the day, but for God’s mercy (read pity) that will open for him a whole new way of life and satisfy all that is lacking within.

We all stand in need of God’s mercy, for his healing, for the gift of sight to see the awesome works of God around us and even in our lives, to peer into the mysteries of life, relationship and to know their true value. We have so many needs; there are so many things to pray for. Prayers that break the silence to ask for God’s guidance, protection and his mercy so that we might make it through today and have hope for tomorrow; prayers that silence the rumble of war and that bring peace to our troubled world; prayers for those who are abused and neglected who are often silent victims.

Like Bartimaeus, let’s not be silenced by the world around us. Instead, let us call out “Jesus, Son of David, have pity on us” and see what wonders lie in store.


Enjoy the day!
Deacon Tom

Image credit: maryricehopkins.com:Bartimaeus3

Rescue Me

Deacon Tom Writes,

“Rescue Me”

Thirtieth Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year B

Throughout the Old Testament God is always coming to the aid of His people. He is always there to rescue them from every sort of peril and even deliver them from the consequences of their bad choices. We know these turbulent adventures of the Israelites as “Salvation History”. It is the story of God “rending the heavens” so that He may come and dwell among His people and yes, at times even come to their rescue. God lives and works among us so He can save us from ourselves, reveal Himself to us, and “teach us His ways”.

There is much we can learn from the “Remnant” that we hear mentioned by the Prophet Jeremiah today. The small band that God rescues are the beneficiaries of God’s goodness as He actively worked out “Salvation History” for the Jewish People. From the moment they became God’s Chosen People, the Israelites slowly began to turn away from Him. When He delivered them from their bondage in Egypt, they showed their gratitude by returning to their former ways by worshiping a golden calf. When He gave them the land of the Canaanites, they again turned their backs on Him and continued their idolatrous practices. But, God always remained faithful to His people, always preserving a “remnant” of people who would remain faithful to Him.

God’s faithfulness to His people is an important lesson for us today. For in reality, we are quite similar to the people who have gone before us. As a people of God we often stumble and fall; we get caught up with the “things” of this world and turn our backs to God. “Rescue Me, Lord!” is our plea too.

It is good for us to desire to be numbered among that “Remnant” that seeks to draw close to God; to be numbered among those who seek to be sheltered and insulated from the evils that surround us today. It is just this sort of protection the Blind Man in our gospel must have felt when he encountered Jesus. God rescues him from the blindness that imprisoned him and gives him a new beginning.

What do we need to be rescued from: our fears, our broken relationships, our hurt memories and regrets, our shortcomings and failures, our guilt? Many things I suspect. Today’s message is a comforting one. God is there and always has been to rescue us from all our anxieties and fears if we just call upon Him to, “rescue me!”

Enjoy the day!

Deacon Tom