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THE NAVARRE BIBLE COMMENTARY gives an interesting spiritual columns side by side Luke and Mark on the Jericho encounter of Jesus and the Blind Man.

Mark 10:46-52   The Blind Man of Jericho    46-52.  "Hearing the commotion the crowd was making, the blind man asks, `What is happening?' They told him, `It is Jesus of Nazareth.' At this his soul was so fired with faith in Christ that he cried out, `Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!' "Don't you feel the same urge to cry out? You who are also waiting at the side of the way, of this highway of life that is so very short? You who need more light, you who need more grace to make up your mind to seek holiness? Don't you feel an urgent need to cry out, `Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me'? What a beautiful aspiration for you to repeat again and again!... "`Many rebuked him, telling him to be silent.' As people have done to you, when you sensed that Jesus was passing your way. Your heart beat faster and you too began to cry out, prompted by an intimate longing. Then your friends, the need to do the done thing, the easy life, your surroundings, all conspired to tell you: `Keep quiet, don't cry out. Who are you to be calling Jesus? Don't bother Him.' "But poor Bartimaeus would not listen to them. He cried out all the more: `Son of David, have mercy on me.' Our Lord, who had heard him right from the beginning, let him persevere in his prayer. He does the same with you. Jesus hears our cries from the very first, but he waits. He wants us to be convinced that we need Him. He wants us to beseech Him, to persist, like the blind man waiting by the road from Jericho. `Let us imitate him. Even if God does not immediately give us what we ask, even if many people try to put us off our prayers, let us still go on praying' (St. John Chrysostom, "Hom. on St. Matthew", 66). "  And Jesus stopped, and told them to call Him.' Some of the better people in the crowd turned to the blind man and said, `Take heart; rise, He is calling you.' Here you have the Christian vocation! But God does not call only once. Bear in mind that our Lord is seeking us at every moment: get up, He tells us, put aside your indolence, your easy life, your petty selfishness, your silly little problems. Get up from the ground, where you are lying prostrate and shapeless. Acquire height, weight and volume, and a supernatural outlook. "And throwing off his mantle the man sprang up and came to Jesus. He threw off his mantle! I don't know if you have ever lived through a war, but many years ago I had occasion to visit a battlefield shortly after an engagement. There strewn all over the ground, were greatcoats, water bottles, haversacks stuffed with family souvenirs, letters, photographs of loved ones...which belonged, moreover, not to the vanquished but to the victors! All these items had become superfluous in the bid to race forward and leap over the enemy defenses. Just as happened to Bartimaeus, as he raced towards Christ. "Never forget that Christ cannot be reached without sacrifice. We have to get rid of everything that gets in the way--greatcoat, haversack, water bottle. You have to do the same in this battle for the glory of God, in this struggle of love and peace by which we are trying to spread Christ's Kingdom. In order to serve the Church, the Pope and all souls, you must be ready to give up everything superfluous.... "And now begins a dialogue with God, a marvelous dialogue that moves us and sets our hearts on fire, for you and I are now Bartimaeus. Christ, who is God, begins to speak and asks, `Quid tibi vis faciam?' `What do you want Me to do for you?' The blind man answers. `Lord, that I may see.' How utterly logical! How about yourself, can you really see? Haven't you too experienced at times what happened to the blind man of Jericho? I can never forget how, when meditating on this passage many years back, and realizing that Jesus was expecting something of me, though I myself did not know what it was, I made up my own aspirations: `Lord, what is it You want! What are You asking of me'? I had a feeling that He wanted me to take on something new and the cry, `Rabboni, ut videam', `Master, that I may see,' moved me to beseech Christ again and again, `Lord, whatever it is that You wish, let it be done.' "Pray with me now to our Lord: `doce me facere voluntatem tuam, quia Deus meus es tu" ( Psa_142:10 ) (`teach me to do Thy will, for You art my God'). In short, our lips should express a true desire on our part to correspond effectively to our Creator's promptings, striving to follow out His plans with unshakeable faith, being fully convinced that He cannot fail us.... "But let us go back to the scene outside Jericho. It is now to you that Christ is speaking. He asks you, `What do you want Me to do for you?' `Master, let me receive my sight.' Then Jesus answers, `Go your way. Your faith has made you well.' And immediately he received his sight and followed Him on His way." Following Jesus on His way. You have understood what our Lord was asking to from you and you have decided to accompany Him on His way. You are trying to walk in His footsteps, to clothe yourself in Christ's clothing, to be Christ Himself: well, your faith, your faith in the light our Lord is giving you, must be both operative and full of sacrifice. Don't fool yourself. Don't think you are going to find new ways. The faith He demands of us is as I have said. We must keep in step with Him, working generously and at the same time uprooting and getting rid of everything that gets in the way" ([Blessed] J. Escriva, "Friends of God", 195-198).

Luke 18:35-43     The Cure of the Blind Man of Jericho    35-43.  The blind man of Jericho is quick to use the opportunity presented by Christ's presence. We should not neglect the Lord's graces, for we do not know whether He will offer us them again. St. Augustine described very succinctly the urgency with which we should respond to God's gift, to His passing us on the road: "`Timeo Jesum praetereuntem et non redeuntem': I fear Jesus may pass by and not come back." For, at least on some occasion, in some way, Jesus passes close to everyone. The blind man of Jericho acclaims Jesus as the Messiah--he gives Him the messianic title of Son of David--and asks Him to meet his need, to make him see. His is an active faith; he shouts out, he persists, despite the people getting in his way. And he manages to get Jesus to hear him and call him. God wanted this episode to be recorded in the Gospel, to teach us how we should believe and how we should pray--with conviction, with urgency, with constancy, in spite of the obstacles, with simplicity, until we manage to get Jesus to listen to us. "Lord, let me receive my sight": this simple ejaculatory prayer should be often on our lips, flowing from the depths of our heart. It is a very good prayer to use in moments of doubt and vacillation, when we cannot understand the reason behind God's plans, when the horizon of our commitment becomes clouded. It is even a good prayer for people who are sincerely trying to find God but who do not yet have the great gift of faith.

Lord, help me recognize my own blind spots

15 November 2010

Monday of the Thirty-third week in Ordinary Time

Mass.

Intro: Fr. S . . .

LUKE 18:35-43
(Revelation 1:1-4, 2:1-5; Psalm 1)

In the Gospel, we have the beautiful story of the blind man near Jericho.
The blind man had an intense desire to be healed. When he heard Jesus was passing that way. He shouted, “Jesus, son of David have pity on me.” People scolded him to be quiet.
They thought that the blind man was asking for alms. But his need was deeper. He refused to be silent and restrained.
It was the desperate need and longing attracted the power of Jesus. It was a cry and tears of a very poor human heart which finds a response in the heart of Jesus.
It was the blind man’s faith which opened the power of Jesus.

Seeing his faith, Jesus said to the blind man, “Have sight, your faith has saved you.”  Immediately his sight was restored.

We too are blind spiritually.
Let us acknowledge the blind spots that we have in our relationship with God and others and our need of healing.
Like the blind man in the Gospel, we bring our blind spots to Jesus for healing in faith in his power.

 + + + 

I should have remembered that the Jericho blind man is named "Bartimaeus" in Mark 10:46. The harmony of the Gospels fills the frame. 

Blind Bartimaeus

Harmony of Gospels. Blind Bartimaeus and his companion healed
Mat 20:29-34	Mar 10:46-52	Luk 18:35-43
29  And as they were going out of Jericho, a great throng accompanied Him. 30  And behold, two blind men were sitting by the roadside, and when they heard that Jesus was passing by, they cried out, Lord, have pity and mercy on us, [You] Son of David!	46  Then they came to Jericho. And as He was leaving Jericho with His disciples and a great crowd, Bartimaeus, a blind beggar, a son of Timaeus, was sitting by the roadside. 47  And when he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to shout, saying, Jesus, Son of David, have pity and mercy on me [now]!	35  As He came near to Jericho, it occurred that a blind man was sitting by the roadside begging. 36  And hearing a crowd going by, he asked what it meant. 37  They told him, Jesus of Nazareth is passing by. 38  And he shouted, saying, Jesus, Son of David, take pity and have mercy on me!

COMMENT (Post Friday, 12 November 2010)

St. Peter's Square on 8 Oct 2002 St. Josemaria's canonization

In the Navarre Bible Commentary on Luke 17:11-19, the quotation from St.. Joseph Escriva seemed to echo another reference to Jesus Mother.

The lines blurred to me. Nivard needed to clarify the type-layout and makes more sense;  - compare the columns.

Bible Commentary on Luke 17:19

Edit the typography

However, only one of them, the Samaritan, who returns praising God and showing his gratitude for the miracle, is given a much greater gift than the cure of leprosy. Jesus says as much: "Your faith has made you well" (v.19) and praises the man's gratefulness. The Gospel records this event to teach us the ­value of gratefulness: "Get used to lifting your heart to God, in acts of thanksgiving, many times a day. Because he gives you this and that. Because you have been despised. Because you haven't what you need or because you have. "Because he made his Mother so beautiful, his Mother who is also your Mother. Because he created the sun and the moon and this animal and that plant. Because he made that man eloquent and you he left tongue-tied .... "Thank him for everything, because everything is good" (Bl. J. Escriva, The Way, 268).

However, only one of them, the Samaritan, who returns praising God and showing his gratitude for the miracle, is given a much greater gift than the cure of leprosy. Jesus says as much: "Your faith has made you well" (v.19) and praises the man's gratefulness. The Gospel records this event to teach us the ­value of gratefulness:  "Get used to lifting your heart to God, in acts of thanksgiving, many times a day. Because he gives you this and that. Because you have been despised. Because you haven't what you need or Because you have. "Because he made his Mother so beautiful, his Mother who is also your Mother. Because he created the sun and the moon and this animal and that plant. Because he made that man eloquent and you he left tongue-tied .... "Thank him for everything, Because everything is good" (Bl. J. Escriva, The Way, 268).

The Sunday Luke 20:27-38 Homily had an unusual grace of word on Mary and find Bl. J. Escriva prompting (17:19) on the Mother of Jesus.

It suggests to keeping note of the Mary ‘dimension’ to be found in difficult hard sayings in Jesus encounters in the Navarre Commentary.

“Then, perhaps by a moment of grace,
he asked her a question. He asked her if she thought
that in heaven Jesus knew Mary as his own mother.
The young mother had no doubts about that, so the priest answered:
'I cannot imagine that it would be any different for you and your daughter.'”

Have pity in your heart, and don't forget that he may yet be an Augustine, while you remain just another mediocrity" (St. Joseph  Escrivá, The Way, 675). ...

All Saints of the Benedictine Family

Happy Birthday , Nivard,
... on your 80th Birthday and Anniversary of Profession.

SAINTS Benedictine Family (and oases for prayer)
http://feastofsaints.com/links.htm

----- Forwarded Message ----
From: Nivard                  
To: donald                              
Sent: Sat, 13 November, 2010 9:29:20
Subject: All Benedictine Saints

                    All Benedictine Saints - Profession Day (+ Jubilee 80, 12th)

A Jubilee is a day of joy and thanks-giving for all the blessings received over the years. Heartfelt thanks to God our Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Thanks to family and ancestors, both natural and supernatural. 

I thank especially Abbot Mark and the Community here at Nunraw for the showers of blessings I’ve received over the past three years. 

Today is my birthday as a Cistercian. 

I made both professions into the hands of Dom Malachy. He will now be smiling on us all from above, as is dear Fr Luke whom we laid to rest yesterday.

   

Our contemplative life cultivates our intimacy with the Lord. It embodies everything that we have ever desired. We live it for the sheer joy of that intimacy. This love binds us together in an inseparable and deliberately chosen companionship.

Let us pray.

   O God, your Son promised to those who leave everything to follow him a hundredfold in this world and in the world to come, eternal life.  Helped by the prayers of St Benedict and all the saints who lived by his Rule, may we be strangers to worldly desires and enjoy the riches of your love.

   Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.      Amen

Bidding Prayer:               

Father, you called us to this way of life in your Church. In it may we love, honour and follow your Son to eternal life in the kingdom you promise.  

   Through Christ our Lord.

 Prayer after Communion,

 Let us pray.

     Almighty God, we pray that strengthened by the power of this sacrament, we may learn by the example of St Benedict and his disciples always to seek you above all things, and to bear already in this world the likeness of Christ, the new Adam, who lives and reigns for ever and ever.                        

Leo the Great 'watching' in the Church

Wed 10th November

Memorial of Leo the Great, Pope and Doctor of the Church 

Watching in the Church - Lavra Netofa, Israel, Upper Galilea 

On Wednesday Fr. Raymond asked me to supply for he is suffering severe  ‘flu. Gospel of Luke 17:11-19.

During the time of the days of Fr. Luke’s wake we keep watch and offer this Mass for his soul.

At the same time we celebrate St. Leo the Great day.

A brief of the life of Leo is one of the proofs of the ‘watching’ in the Church for the Church.

‘Watching’ of the Church is not quiet but thrilling in influence.

Pope Benedict has just had two days in Spain, Compostello and Barcelona, the UK visit, again the vitality of the ‘watching’ in care of the Church.

Leo sets the stage of the Church at ‘watch’.

  
1. Leo the Great was Pope from 440 to 461 during the time of the invasion of Attila the Hun.

When Attila marched on Rome, Pope Leo went out to meet him and pleaded for the army to leave.

As Leo spoke, Attila saw a vision of a man in priestly robes, carrying a bare sword, and threatening to kill the invader if he did not obey Pope Leo.

2. As Leo had a great devotion to St. Peter, it is generally believed Peter was the visionary opponent to the Huns.

3. When Genseric of the Vandals invaded Rome, Pope Leo's sanctity and eloquence saved the city again.

4. Pope Leo called the Council of Chalcedon to condemn heresies of the day: Nestorianism, Monophysitism, Manichaeism, and Pelagianism.

5. He wrote letters and sermons encouraging and teaching his flock. Many of these writings survive today;
it is for these writings that Leo was proclaimed a Doctor of the Church in 1574.

Leo’s ‘watching’ fulfilled mighty actions in the Church.

Hidden lives fulfilled that same service in God’s will.

As Fr. Luke’s life is hidden so we offer this Holy Mass in our own same hidden watching in the Church for all souls.

Memorial of Martin of Tours, bishop

St Martin of  Tours

Thursday. November 11

Saint Martin of Tours.

Phlmn 7-20

Lk: 17:20-25

In today’s gospel, we hear Jesus speaking about the kingdom of God. In his first sermon before he began his public ministry, Jesus said, “The kingdom of God is close at hand, repent and believe the goodness “(Mk 1:15).In today’s gospel Jesus tells the Pharisees, “The kingdom of God is among you” (Lk 17:21). 

The good news of salvation  preached by Jesus, forgiveness of sins, signs and wonders  and healings indicates that God’s Kingdom has been ushered in and through Jesus and yet Pharisees did not want to accept and recognise them. It is through metanoia or conversion of heart one can receive this kingdom.  

The kingdom comes to us  by grace to those who humbly like a child  invites  the Triune God to be the lord of their lives and walk each day in love under the guidance  of this Triune God.  

Today, we pray for a deeper understanding of  the presence of God’s kingdom which is the presence of the Holy Trinity dwelling within us and that we may realise that the same Triune God dwells in my fellow human beings and this calls for love, respect of other’s dignity and justice which flows from love. This truth is being reflected in the life of St. Martin of Tours whose feast we are celebrating today.