30th Sunday of the Year B, 2018

May the Lord in today’s Eucharistic celebration open your eyes not only to see/recognize him in the poor, the sick and the dying but also to become a veritable disciple of his, who follow him by coming to the aid of the needy neighbors. Happy Sunday! +John I. Okoye

DOCTRINE AND FAITH(Jer 31,79; Hebrew 5,1-6; Mark 10,46-52: 30th Sunday of the Year B, 2018)
    The first reading is an oracle of salvation (Thus says the Lord) which contains a summons to praise God for the blessings of deliverance and restoration. The Israelites are to praise God for the salvation he brought about, the effect of which will be seen in the future return of the exiles. This anticipated return is described in vivid detail. The procession of returnees seems to be retracing the very path that was taken when the people were exiled to the land of the North. They left their cherished homeland in tears, but they will return amid shouts of joy. Yet only a remnant will return, and this remnant will consist of the most vulnerable of the people. It includes those who are blind or lame, who are mothers or who are pregnant, all people who are utterly dependent upon God. It will be through them that the nation will be restored. From one perspective the returnees represent the people who would be ineligible for major leadership positions within a patriarchal society. Because of their gender or physical impairment, they would be the last ones to be called on for the task of rebuilding a nation. On the other hand, the imagery used here is replete with allusions to new life. Mothers and pregnant women may be vulnerable, but they are also symbols of fecundity and hope. In their bodies they hold the promise of the future. The image of brooks of water also evokes visions of fruitfulness and refreshment. As they leave the land of their exile behind, this remnant carries within itself the possibilities of new beginnings. The restoration promised here is clearly a work of God. Customary human initiative plays no role in it.
    In casting Jesus in the role of high priest, the author of the Letter the Hebrews (2nd Reading) states the general qualifications a man must meet before he can assumes the responsibilities of the office. Patterned after the model of Aaron, the prospective high priest must be able to empathize with the frailty of those he serves, and he must have been called by God. Although the reading does not mention Jesus’ solidarity with human weakness, as king and priest he shared in the limitations of the human condition. His profound humility is seen in his willingness to empty himself of his divine privileges and to become human. His life shows his solidarity with others.
    In the gospel reading the account of the healing of a blind man is in some ways also a call narrative, a call to follow Jesus.  Although Jesus’ words do not actually invite the man to follow him, the man interprets his actions as doing so. The faith of this man is both demonstrated by his actions and explicitly recognized by Jesus. When he hears that it is Jesus of Nazareth who is passing by him, he cries out to him using a title that has strong messianic connotations. Son of David identifies Jesus not only as a descendant of this royal figure but also as the long-awaited one who was to fulfill both the religious and the political expectations of the people. Bartimaeus knows that Jesus has the power to heal him, but he also believes that he is the anointed of God who has come to inaugurate the reign of God. Unlike so many other healing narratives in which people bring those who are sick and afflicted to Jesus to be healed, in this instance the people around the blind man try to silence him. No reason for this is given. Whatever the case may be, Jesus hears the man’s cries and has him brought to him. Beggars normally would spread out their cloaks so they would be able to collect alms. This beggar throws his cloak aside, apparently leaving behind both the alms he has already collected and his life of begging. He has left what he had in order to respond to the call of Jesus. The man who was blind already had eyes of faith and he acted on this faith, publicly proclaiming it. As a consequence of his profession, Jesus tells him it is this faith that gave him his sight. In his eagerness; to respond to Jesus’ call, he had already left everything. Having been cured, he now follows Jesus.

    As we come to the close of the Liturgical Year, we pause this Sunday to see how far we have come. It is a time to examine how we are maturing in the Spirit. To what degree have we followed God, who leads us out of captivity, out from our place of exile, out from the North? Have our fortunes been restored? Have our eyes been opened? Has this been a good year? Throughout this Liturgical Year we have examined several aspects of our faith. We have pondered the history of our salvation, the merciful compassion of God shown to us after we have sinned; God’s willingness to lead us out of the bondage of our addictions and failures. We have meditated often and long on the person of Jesus, on his life and death, on the meaning of his sacrifice, on his resurrection, on his influence in our lives today. We have considered our own ongoing transformation as disciples of Jesus—baptized into his death and resurrection, commissioned to bring the news of his love to all those with whom we come into contact. We have reflected on all of these wonderful deeds of God, and now we must ask the question: what difference has it made? Do We See?  do we now have perception? As we review our consideration of the faith, can we say that we have gained new insight? Have we merely acquired some information about the biblical readings, about our religious ancestors in Israel, about the ministry of Jesus and the life of the early Church? Or have our eyes really been opened; have we been enabled to leave behind whatever prevents us from living the Christian life fully, to abandon our exile or the trappings of our former lives? Have we accepted more genuinely the Christian responsibilities that are ours as baptized followers of Christ—in our own personal lives, in our families, in our relationships with others, at the workplace? To what degree have we been transformed into Christ? How open have we become to the action of the Spirit in our lives? Have we been transformed into a new creation? And do we recognize Christ in our midst, cry to him?
   Have we come to see more deeply who this Christ is and who we are in Christ? Do we recognize him as our teacher, and have we learned from him the mysteries of God’s love and how we can adequately respond to that love? Do we realize that the poor and unassuming man who walked the roads of life is the son of David, the one of royal descent who has come to establish the reign of God? Have we learned to recognize God’s reign—present in the poor and the unassuming as well as in those who struggle with their prosperity, in the people who are burdened with doubt and insecurity as well as those who rejoice in the truth, in the needy and the seriously limited as well as those who minister out of strength and ability? Do we recognize him as the healer who will open our eyes so that we can really see? Have we heard his coming in the words of today’s prophets and teachers, catechists, priests, bishops who open for us the treasures of our religious tradition and in the wisdom of those who know that life is precious and must not be squandered and in the religious leaders who take us by the hand and bring us to the feet of Jesus? We may see all of this in the readings, but do we recognize it in our own lives? Has this been a good year? May our encounter with Christ in this Eucharistic celebration make us perceive his blessings and graces on us, appreciate them and like Bartimaeus abandon all encumbrances and follow him without looking backwards. Happy Sunday! +John I. Okoye

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