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“Christ Healing the Blind Man”
by Eustache Le Sueur, c. 1650 |
Readings for Thirtieth Sunday in Ordinary Time [2]
Readings from the Jerusalem Bible [3]
Readings and Commentary: [4]
Reading 1: 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.
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Commentary on Jer 31:7-9
The prophet Jeremiah is looking forward to the return of the Hebrews from their exile. In this selection he foresees the return of a great throng, gathered from the far reaches of the world as the people return to the Promised Land – Jerusalem. The prophet speaks to the people of the salvation that will be theirs because God has chosen them for his own. The passage serves as a prelude to Jeremiah’s great song beginning in the next verse.
CCC: Jer 31 1611
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Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 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.
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Commentary on Ps 126:1-2, 2-3, 4-5, 6
Psalm 126 is a lament. In this short psalm, the singer rejoices at the return of Israel following the Diaspora, the conquering of Israel and its enslavement. In this hymn, the people remember the greatness of God as he restores their nation and brings them back to their own land ("Although they go forth weeping, carrying the seed to be sown, they shall come back rejoicing, carrying their sheaves"). The sense is one of being overflowing with thanksgiving.
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Reading II: 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.
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Commentary on Heb 5:1-6
This is an important passage from the standpoint of understanding the call to ministry, especially the priesthood. It is frequently used at ordinations and provides an understanding of what it means to be called to a vocation: “No one takes this honor upon himself but only when called by God.”
The author concludes with a reference to the “order of Melchizedek,” the priest king, first identified in Genesis 14:18 and referenced again in Psalm 110:4. The image of Melchizedek is used to prefigure Christ, the Messiah, who is priest, prophet and king. This same indelible character is imposed upon those called to God’s service in the priesthood.
CCC: Heb 5:1 1539; Heb 5:3 1540; Heb 5:4 1578; Heb 5:6 1537
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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.
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Commentary on Mk 10:46-52
In St. Mark’s story of the cure of the blind man (see also Matthew 20:29-34 and Luke 18:35-43), it is the way he addresses Jesus that becomes the focus. We are told he address him as “Son of David.” This is the messianic title applied by Jewish tradition to the one who comes to “heal the blind and the lame and set the prisoners free” (Isaiah 42;6-7). In response to the blind man’s request, “Master, I want to see,” in an almost casual way, Jesus tells him his faith has saved him and the blind man sees. Not surprisingly the now sighted man follows Jesus.
CCC: Mk 10:46-52 2667; Mk 10:48 2616; Mk 10:52 548
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Reflection:
Students who will be assisting the blind are frequently required to spend an extended period (perhaps a couple of days) blindfolded, completely without sight or light, to help them understand what it feels like for their future charges. There are few things in life we would miss more than our ability to see. While those physically without sight have learned to compensate for their lack of sight with other senses and aids, those of us who see today would be in a pretty sorry state if tomorrow we woke up and the world was dark.
Most are probably thinking, “Yes, I know Jesus did the blind man a huge service by restoring his sight.” And of course, you would be right. But let us look at this action metaphorically for a moment. Let us assume that it is not physical sight that was restored but the light of truth that was given. Perhaps what the blind man received was not just the ability to perceive the world around him, but the ability to understand what God wanted for him. Just as a sighted person can see danger and avoid it, so the enlightened person can see spiritual danger and avoid it. Recall, St. Peter even mentioned this in his letter; “keep away from worldly desires that wage war against the soul” (1 Peter 2:11). The ability to see and avoid these dangers comes from our spiritual sight, sight only the Lord can give
A very important element of this entire saga lies in the concluding words of the Scripture passage from St. Mark’s Gospel. "Go your way; your faith has saved you." This is the heart of the Lord’s message of salvation. We are called to draw on the strength of faith, freely given, in all we do, and doing so the Lord, through the Holy Spirit, gives us his love through which all things are possible.
The very good news is that he offers this gift to us freely. It is enhanced through sacramental grace, like corrective lenses or laser eye surgery. We see more clearly as a result of the special grace given in the sacraments. Today as we recall how Jesus gave sight to the blind, we pray that he will continue to shed his light on our path so that we might not stumble as we walk with him.
Pax
[1] Catechism links are taken from the
Homiletic Directory, published by the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments, 29 June 2014.
[2] The picture today is “Christ Healing the Blind Man” by Eustache Le Sueur, c. 1650.[3] S.S. Commemoratio[4] The readings are taken from the New American Bible, with the exception of the psalm and its response which were developed by the International Committee for English in Liturgy (ICEL). This republication is not authorized by USCCB and is for private use only.
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