Monday of the Thirty-third Week in Ordinary Time
When I read the Scriptures for today, especially the reading from Maccabees, I was struck by how closely it relates to what we are experiencing in our own time. I have never been one to blindly follow 'commands' or 'directives', however the Responsorial Psalm offers firm and simple guidance in all the midst of all the confusion and opposing viewpoints I (we) encounter on a daily—or hourly—basis. "Give me life, O Lord, and I will do your commands". Can it be that simple?
In today's Gospel, Jesus responds to the blind beggar with incredible compassion and directness. Even after the people following Jesus tried their level best to quiet the man, Jesus ordered the blind man be brought to him. "What do you want me to do for you?", Jesus asks. This is the simple and direct question. The blind man pleads with Jesus to 'see' and, after Jesus grants his request, the Gospel says the man 'followed him, giving glory to God'. What always strikes me in this passage is the question Jesus asks of the blind beggar: 'What do you want me to do for you?' I always envision Jesus asking this question of me. The answer, though slightly different, invariably carries the same theme as the blind beggar…'Lord, please let me see'.
I am not sure if the time in which we live is any better or worse than another. I do know, if I have made a commitment to follow Jesus, I no longer belong to myself or the world or anyone else. I simply belong to Christ. And over my 60+ years of life I that being simple is not synonymous with being easy. As a matter of fact, my experience is that living simply—including asking for something very simple from Jesus— nearly always involves struggle, arduous work, and persistence. Such is life; we cannot expect otherwise.
This day I want to keep things simple. I want to follow Jesus. I want to expect surprises, but I don't want my expectations to interfere with what Jesus has in store for me. I pray for the grace to be real, as well as realistic. May God grant me the grace to keep my sights set, simply, on Jesus.
Alleluia!
--Gail Lyman