FAITH IS ACTIVE AND MUST BE LIVED

 “SPRINGS OF LIVING WATER”

Daily Spiritual Reflections

24th October 2021

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SUNDAY, THIRTIETH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME

Jer 31: 7-9; Ps 126: 1-6; Heb 5: 1-6; Mk 10: 46-52

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FAITH IS ACTIVE AND MUST BE LIVED

Bartimaeus, the son of Timaeus, whom we encounter today in the Gospel was a blind man, staying at the outskirts of the city, begging for his livelihood. At that time physical sickness was considered to be a curse from God; thus, the sick also suffered from guilt, shame, abandonment, discouragement and even despair. We can therefore imagine the depths of negativity from which the cry of Bartimaeus came forth when he pleaded with the Lord for mercy. 

Bartimaeus shows his faith by calling out to Jesus to heal him. As a beggar it was very natural for him to ask, to ‘beg’, but here, he doesn’t just ask for a material offering; he cries for healing, for life itself. And therefore, despite being scolded by many for making a racket, he refused to remain silent, to confirm to society’s expectations of him, to remain in the vale of suffering that was considered his place for being ‘sinful’. He knew Jesus was not part of that society who wanted him to remain where he was in silence. He knew Jesus was a man who put compassion before conformity, God before society. In short, he knew Jesus, knew him, not by sight, but by faith. And it is this faith that saved him. He was blind physically but not spiritually. Those around him were the ones who lacked the spiritual vision. 

Bartimaeus teaches us to believe in the Lord’s goodness, his compassion, his mercy, and to be courageous enough to ask him for help. Only in opening ourselves in faith and trust to God, can we experience the miracle of his presence and the grace of his mercy. When Jesus asked him “What do you want me to do for you?’ the blind man replied, “Master, I want to see”. Simple, humble and direct. No flurry of words, or extravagant phrases. Just his innermost desire laid there before the Lord. 

In the first reading of today, the prophet Jeremiah speaks words of comfort and hope to his people. The Israelites were in a long and arduous exile in Babylon. During this time many of them, living among pagans in a pagan land, had given up the Jewish faith, adopting instead the culture and traditions of the place. Those who stayed faithful and loyal despite the sufferings and persecution came to be known as ‘the remnant of Israel’. They were not rich or influential people but the poor, lowly and weak of society. Jeremiah refers to them as “the blind, the lame, women with child and women in labour.” He gives them hope by prophesying that God would set them free from captivity and rebuild Israel from them. 

Today’s liturgy invites us to reflect on where we stand in our life of faith. We all are blind in some way, spiritually and socially. We live in darkness when we let our pride and selfishness take the upper hand in our attitudes, desires and decisions. God knows what is happening in our lives and what we truly need. He wants us to pray to him in faith. The more we pray, the more we come to realize what we really lack, and what is truly good for us. St Henry Newman said, “Sometimes, the reason God is slow in answering our prayers is because he wants us to pray more. In fact, the more we pray, the more we are close to him. Without praying, our faith will go weak and our relationship with him will go dim, and that is when our soul is in danger.”

Let us ask the Lord to heal our spiritual blindness that we may see the light of his presence in our family and friends, as well as in those suffering from various sicknesses, the abandoned and unloved, and those who have lost hope in life. Let us ask him for the wisdom, the patience, the compassion, and the kindness to be an instrument of his healing mercy and compassionate presence in the lives of all those who, like Bartimaeus, cry out to him. 

Faith is not a knowledge of the truths through our human intellect. Faith is active and living ‘through the witness offered by the lives of believers’. The renewal of the Church is achieved by these witnesses. On the World Mission Sunday, Let us pray that the world might have an authentic and renewed conversion to the Lord.

Response: What great deeds the Lord worked for us! Indeed, we were glad.

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