Thursday of 8th Week in Ordinary Time, Yr. II: reflection
Theme: Come to Jesus and be made whole.
Readings: 1Pet 2:2–5,9–12; Mk 10:40–52
In today’s first reading, St Peter invites us to come to Jesus the living stone, who was rejected by men but chosen and precious in God’s eye, in order to be made whole spiritually and physically. Then, in today’s gospel, we saw blind Bartimaeus, who bravely went to Jesus to be made whole.
The account of Bartimaeus’ healing tells us what happens to people who have boldly decided to approach Jesus and what they ought to do. Did you notice that the crowd yelled at the Bartimaeus to stop bothering them with his shouts when he raised his voice to call on Jesus? If Bartimaeus was not convinced in what he wanted, he would have succumbed to the people’s intimidation. But the more the people yelled at him to shut up, the louder he shouted, calling on Jesus to help him.
Never expect a smooth ride whenever you make a brave choice to go to Jesus and drink from the well of salvation. The devil, who profited from your life in the dark, will fight back, as will the world you want to leave behind. The friends who were content with the way you were will put up barriers in your path. But then, like Bartimaeus, you will be heard by Jesus if you stay steadfast, and when Jesus hears you, even those who opposed your movement toward Jesus might turn around and offer you encouragement. In the case of Bartimaeus, when Jesus heard him, those who yelled at him to shut up him turned around and encouraged him.
Finally, as you march towards Jesus to be made whole, you must throw away the things that defined your old life as Bartimaeus did. When Bartimaeus was moving towards Jesus, he threw away his cloak because he knew he wasn’t returning to his old state, he understood that meeting Jesus will restore him and that there wouldn’t be any need for the things of old; no one encounters Jesus and remains the same. In the first reading, Peter advised that we should abstain from the passions of the flesh that wage war against our souls. As you decide to go to Jesus today to encounter him anew and be made whole, you must let go of the things of old.
May your Thursday be blessed. Amen
Fr Isaac Chima.