Homily for Sunday 28th October 2018.
_“ And when he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to cry out and say, ‘Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!’ And many rebuked him, telling him to be silent; but he cried out all the more.” *Mark 10:47-48*_
The story of Blind Bartimaeus at first glance looks like one ordinary episode of healing by Jesus Christ but then, as with every single miracle performed by Jesus, there is more to what simply meets the eye. Today, the church calls us to place ourselves in the scenario of that powerful healing account that we may learn certain lessons and grow in our faith.
*1. Do You Recognise the Presence of Jesus?*
It is an irony that while a blind man did not have trouble recognising Jesus as the Son of David, (the promised Messiah), many of those who could see clearly with both eyes were having trouble believing that this “son of a carpenter” was really the Son of God. How many of us Catholics are able to “see” Jesus present, soul and divinity, in the Holy Eucharist? Bartimaeus was blind but deep inside him, he could see God present in the person of Jesus. This inner sight eventually brought about his physical sight. The book of Hebrews 11:1 says “faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.” Unless we are able to see Jesus from within, we cannot see him externally.
*2. Seeing is NOT always Believing.*
One of the twelve disciples was absent when Jesus appeared after his resurrection and when he was told that Jesus had risen, he said: “Unless I place my hands in the holes made by the nails and feel his pierced side, I refuse to believe.” John 20:24-28. For many people today, seeing is believing. Now, let’s assume that after Thomas said these words, something entered his eyes and he became blind, would he have been able to believe?
Many of us are like Thomas, our faith in God is limited to what we can see and this explains why there are miracle centres everywhere which huge display of miracles, most of which are fake. Opening a church has become a sort of lucrative business for many and some employ diabolic means to pull crowds and keep them from leaving. Even when miracles are displayed, the moral life of our society continues to go down. Signs and wonders instead of drawing us closer to God now serve as mere entertainment in our churches.
*3. Do not Allow Anyone Discourage You.*
It is very sad that while Bartimaeus was trying to get Jesus’ attention, some people following Jesus told him to keep quiet. As Fr. Amadasun Idahosa mentions in his homily, “sometimes the disciples of Christ are often the greatest obstacles for people to encounter Christ.”
How do people try to silence us when we try to call out to God? One, by discouraging us from praying. Be like Bartimaeus, ignore their voice and continue calling out to Jesus. Another way those close to Jesus silence us is by scandal. When we see and hear things done by high ranking church officials as well as those who belong to respectable church societies, we feel like giving up on the Christian faith itself. However, by so doing, we actually cheat ourselves. Imagine if Bartimaeus had kept quiet because of the scandalous attitude of Jesus’ followers, would he get his miracle?
*4. Do not allow your Possessions act as Obstacles.*
A few Sundays ago, we read about the rich young man who walked away from Jesus sad because he could not let go of his riches and become a disciple of Jesus. In today’s Gospel passage, we are told that when Bartimaeus heard that Jesus was calling him, he sprang to his feet throwing off his cloak and came to Jesus. The throwing off of his cloak is quite significant here. Could it be that it is my love for riches that is preventing me from deepening my spiritual life? What are those things standing between me and God? What are those things I need to drop so that I can become a prayerful Christian? What are those things preventing me from going to Church?
*5. Prayer is not Just a Matter of Words.*
When Bartimaeus came to Jesus, Jesus asked him: “What do you want me to do for you?” This is the attitude of Jesus when we drop down on our knees to pray, when we come to church or when we visit the Blessed Sacrament. After asking us that question, Jesus looks into our hearts, he listens not only to our words but measures the level of our faith. As soon as Bartimaeus responded: “Master, let me receive my sight” Jesus said: “Go, your faith has made you well.” It is not enough that we tell Jesus our problem, we must do so with faith.
Our first reading today assures us that God cares about our wellbeing. God does not like to see us cry as Jeremiah assures us: “With weeping, they shall come, and with consolations, I will lead them back, I will make them walk by brooks of water, in a straight path in which they shall not stumble” Jeremiah 31:9. If you must cry in prayer, let not your tears lead you to desperation or hopelessness, believe that God sees and will surely respond. Let the eyes weep but make sure the heart is firm with faith.
*Conclusion*
Faith is like a pair of glasses for one who is visually impaired. Faith enables us to see that our ordinary eyes cannot see. Faith is believing things that are not yet and the reward of faith is to see that which we believe.
Let us Pray: Lord Jesus, open our eyes to see and believe in you deeper and deeper. Amen.
Happy Sunday. Be Happy. Live Positive. Have Faith. It is well with you. God bless you. (30th Sunday in Ordinary Time. Year B. Bible Study: Jeremiah 31:7-9, Psalm 126:1-6, Hebrews 5:1-6 and Mark 10:46-52).
*N.B. As we celebrate our parish harvest today 28th October, many have displayed great faith by giving despite the economic situation of our country. Thank you for helping us build our mass centre. I pray for you that what you have done in faith, you will see the reward in your very lives and harvest an abundance of all you pray for. God bless you.*
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