Thirtieth Sunday in Ordinary Time

Sunday, October 24, 2021

Thirtieth Sunday in Ordinary Time

First Reading: Jeremiah 31: 7-9

Second Reading: Hebrews 5: 1- 6

Gospel: Mark 5: 46-52

 The first reading today is a call for great rejoicing at the salvation of the remnant of Israel from exile to the Promised Land – see I will bring them back from the land of the North and gather them from the far ends of the earth. After so much suffering in exile, the prophet announces the blessings of the Lord upon His people. They had left in tears, now the Lord says, ‘I will console them and guide them to streams of water, by a smooth path so that non shall stumble. Jesus is the one who fulfils all these prophecies. He is the one who saves us from the worst exile, the slavery of sin. He went about doing good, healing the sick, giving sight to the blind, healing the lame and paralytic. He fed the hungry and saved those tormented by demons.

In the Gospel today, as He passed, a blind man called Bartimeus heard Jesus was passing, he began to shout and to say Jesus, Son of David, have mercy pity on me! Notice that the blind man called Jesus ‘Son of David’ His messianic title. The messiah will be a son of David. He will sit on the throne of David forever. People were shouting him down, scolding him to remain silent. In the Jewish worldview, a blind man is a sinner, a cursed man. In John 9, 1 &2 Jesus saw a man who was born blind, his disciples asked Him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he should be born blind.” Typically, a blind man should keep quiet and wait for alms. However, this man refused to remain silent. He shouted even more until Jesus stopped.

This blind man could have been prevented from receiving his blessing and healing by the people. He could have accepted the place society assigned to him, a beggar who should not speak but sit and wait for alms. He also knew Jesus was going to Jerusalem, which is only 24 kilometers from Jericho. He could have decided to wait for him next time. It was Jesus’ final journey to Jerusalem. He never passed again.

The cry of the needy can be very discomforting. That is why the people shouted at him to keep quiet. Remember the unjust judge who decided to give the widow justice before she will worry him to death. Ex 2: 24 says God hears the cry of the poor. God does not hear the cry of the poor because if disturbs him but out of love for the poor. The Lord heard the cries of Bartimeus the first moment he started. However, he wanted the blind man to give a graphic example of perseverance in prayer. When Jesus called him, we have a beautiful dialogue that moves our hearts. Jesus asked him, ‘quid tibi vis faciam’ – what do you want me to do for you? The blind man does not ask for too many things, he could have asked for too many things. He responded, Lord that I may see again.

Today, Jesus passes alongside our lives. And He may never pass again. Are you going to keep quiet or are you going to call out to him? Our eyes are blind; we cannot see the presence of God in our midst. We are paralyzed on our mats, incapable of reaching the heights God has destined for us. We are sick in many ways and the worst of all sick to our very souls. We are the ones who have to call out, “Jesus son of David to have mercy on us.” We face difficulties on all sides, sometimes we have periods of interior darkness and trial. We must turn to Jesus who every day passes alongside our lives these moments.

In Sermon 88,13 St. Augustine said Christ is always within range of our voice, of our prayer. And he adds – ‘timeo Iesum transeuntem et non redeuntem’ – I fear that Jesus would pass by and never return. Now is the moment of grace, the opportunity for divine favour, we cannot neglect it. We should call to Jesus from the depth of our soul, ‘Iesu fili David, miserere mei’ (Jesus, son of David, have mercy on me).

The second reading from the letter to the Hebrews brings out the essential constituent of the priesthood of Christ. Jesus Christ is priest as man. Every high priest is chosen from among men and appointed to act on behalf of men. This priesthood is the reason why Jesus became man. Hebrews 2, 17 says Jesus “had to be made like his brethren in every respect, so that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in the service of God, to make expiation for the sins of his people.”

It is proper for a priest to be a mediator with a descending and an ascending mediation. This mediation is found in Christ. We see here two characteristics of the priesthood; divine calling – ‘no one takes the honour upon himself but only when called by God,” and consecration – “taken and made their representative before God.” Jesus is our eternal high priest. Because He is one with us, He understands our difficulties and stands ready to help us.

Happy Sunday

Rev. Fr.  Chidi Onwuka MSSCC