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30th Sunday in Ordinary Time Mark 10:46-52 |
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| Background: In today’s reading, Mark suggests a different way to respond to the question Jesus asked James and John in last Sunday’s reading. They wanted to sit on his right hand and left hand in the Kingdom. Bartimaeus wants "to see." Jesus recognizes this request as much more than a plea for physical vision when he tells the man that his faith has healed him. Undoubtedly Mark is making the point that what Jesus wants from those who follow him is faith that does not fear, faith that will let us throw aside those things (our security blanket cloaks) that blind us to God’s presence even when we are at the lowest points of our lives. |
read the padre |
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Story: Once upon a time a husband and wife were at the bottoming out stage of their marriage. All kinds of things - kids, work, friends, church activities, TV, sports events etc.- were eating up their quality time together. And it seemed that whenever they were together one or the other - or both of them - avoided all but the most superficial topic of conversation. Their sexual relationship had become routine and neither one seemed to notice how infrequent their passionate embraces were. A certain dullness settled into their life. Then they began quarreling over even minor grievances. Finally, they wondered if there was any reason for them to stay married. When a friend suggested they try seeing a marriage counselor before giving up on their marriage, they reluctantly agreed to make one last attempt. The counselor asked each of them wanted in a relationship. After listening to each one’s complaints about what they wanted and weren’t getting from the other, the counselor observed that it seemed that each of them wanted to be seen, wanted the other to notice their ups and downs and care about them. This kind of relationship had led to their falling in love; but at some point they either forgot how to see what it was that would make the other happy or they simply stopped believing that the joy of falling in love could be sustained. She continued to counsel them as they learned how to see each other with the sight of love. Then, once again, their marriage became what all marriages are meant to be: a sign of God’s love for us. |
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