October 29 2006
Thirtieth Sunday in Ordinary Time
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.
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.
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.
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 sigh tand followed him on the way.
Blindness is not always physical. The Lord readily provides healing to the man who called out and asked for healing. The man was persistent in asking for healing. Jericho was a walled town in the promised land in the oasis, an old city built around a spring. Elisha purified the spring at it's source with salt. The spring is still known as the spring of Elisha which is thought to have healing properties. Many medicinal plants including balsam were grown there. At one point Cleopatra was given Jericho as gift from Antony, she returned with balsam and grew it in groves in Egypt. Herod's winter palace was in Jericho with gardens where it was warmer than Jerusalem. Jericho was the last stopping place on the way for Passover to Jerusalem. The town must have been crowded at the time the blind man was calling out for healing in the midst of a town filled with pilgrims. In Deuteronomy there is a curse for those who pass a blind person in need.
Jesus asks the man what he wants to be done. Jesus wants to hear this. Jesus dialogues with those he cures and it is a part of the healing. It is a sign that the man is healed by his faith. It appears that the man's sight is returned. (The above two paragraphs paraphrased from Sister Jill Bevilacqua,Vatican Radio, Oct 27, 2006)
The news of violence in the world is contrary to the gospel message of love and healing. As a Christian, I am called to open my heart, mind and soul to others with compassion, mercy, love and healing. I as a healer only have the ability to heal myself in order to be an instrument of the Lord in healing others. I ask this morning in my lectio and reflection to see with eyes cleared of any blindness, illusion or lack of love. I ask for the courage and compassion of true faith to be a light and source of love and healing. I pray to meet the Christ in all people and to be Christ to them. This morning I ask the Lord again for a healing of all blindness that I may have in seeing all people as children of the Great Creator God.
Yesterday, I attended a dance, music, prayer circle of Native Americans in the neighborhood of the monastery. There was white sage burning as a purifying scent which is similar to the healing scent of balsam and the purifying agent of salt. To me the life I lead is purifying or defiling in my thoughts, heart and acts daily and calls for a daily turning to God who is able to purify, forgive, heal and give strength for the journey on this earth and in the world to come. I pray to see all people of all faiths as my true brothers and sisters with love and reverence for the life and spirit within.
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.
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.
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.
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 sigh tand followed him on the way.
Blindness is not always physical. The Lord readily provides healing to the man who called out and asked for healing. The man was persistent in asking for healing. Jericho was a walled town in the promised land in the oasis, an old city built around a spring. Elisha purified the spring at it's source with salt. The spring is still known as the spring of Elisha which is thought to have healing properties. Many medicinal plants including balsam were grown there. At one point Cleopatra was given Jericho as gift from Antony, she returned with balsam and grew it in groves in Egypt. Herod's winter palace was in Jericho with gardens where it was warmer than Jerusalem. Jericho was the last stopping place on the way for Passover to Jerusalem. The town must have been crowded at the time the blind man was calling out for healing in the midst of a town filled with pilgrims. In Deuteronomy there is a curse for those who pass a blind person in need.
Jesus asks the man what he wants to be done. Jesus wants to hear this. Jesus dialogues with those he cures and it is a part of the healing. It is a sign that the man is healed by his faith. It appears that the man's sight is returned. (The above two paragraphs paraphrased from Sister Jill Bevilacqua,Vatican Radio, Oct 27, 2006)
The news of violence in the world is contrary to the gospel message of love and healing. As a Christian, I am called to open my heart, mind and soul to others with compassion, mercy, love and healing. I as a healer only have the ability to heal myself in order to be an instrument of the Lord in healing others. I ask this morning in my lectio and reflection to see with eyes cleared of any blindness, illusion or lack of love. I ask for the courage and compassion of true faith to be a light and source of love and healing. I pray to meet the Christ in all people and to be Christ to them. This morning I ask the Lord again for a healing of all blindness that I may have in seeing all people as children of the Great Creator God.
Yesterday, I attended a dance, music, prayer circle of Native Americans in the neighborhood of the monastery. There was white sage burning as a purifying scent which is similar to the healing scent of balsam and the purifying agent of salt. To me the life I lead is purifying or defiling in my thoughts, heart and acts daily and calls for a daily turning to God who is able to purify, forgive, heal and give strength for the journey on this earth and in the world to come. I pray to see all people of all faiths as my true brothers and sisters with love and reverence for the life and spirit within.
posted by Joan Morris at 10:15 AM
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