Thursday of the Eighth Week in Ordinary Time

Today's Mass Readings

Today’s gospel passage from Mark is a healing story, and, as such, it might be easy to pass over it as unremarkable. A man suffering from an ailment (in this case blindness) petitions Jesus for healing, and Jesus responds by healing him. It’s a common plot, but that does not make the story uninteresting or unimportant. What stands out from this story is the closing line: “Immediately he received his sight and followed him on the way” (Mk. 10:52). Early Christians sometimes referred to their religion as “the way,” and here the implication is clearly that the blind man became a follower of Jesus upon his cure. We often hear it said that “seeing is believing.” In the case of Bartimaeus, seeing results in more than just simple belief. Seeing is following. His experience of Jesus’ healing power changed his life. As we read or hear this gospel today, we are invited to experience Bartimaeus’s story anew, to rediscover the importance of following Jesus. But how do we do this, in practical terms? The response from the psalm tells us, “Come with joy into the presence of the Lord” (Ps. 100:2c). Following Jesus ought to be celebratory; it is a way of enacting thanksgiving. As the first reading from 1 Peter notes, we have been called out of darkness into “his wonderful light” (1 Pt. 2:9). Like Bartimaeus, we all have received mercy (1 Pt. 2:10). This is reason to celebrate! On the other hand, 1 Peter also indicates that following Jesus involves more than just celebrating. In fact, Peter compares the recipients of his letter to newborn infants, saying they must long for spiritual milk and grow into salvation (1 Pt. 2:2).

Following Jesus is a lifelong process – a growing and maturing, allowing God to work through us. Our journey along “the way” will not always be joyful, nor will it necessarily be easy. But we are called not to give up, regardless of the challenges we face. As Ordinary Time continues, today’s readings are a good reminder of the ongoing journey that is our faith. Seeing Jesus for who He should bring us to follow Jesus. Meanwhile, our following Jesus should result in our continued growth as Christians. It is at the end of this journey of following Jesus that we will truly “come with joy into the presence of the Lord.”

Today, let us remind ourselves that salvation is something we grow into, with God’s grace. You may want to identify one area of your spiritual life that you have been neglecting (prayer, good works, repentance, etc.) and pray about how God is calling you to grow into your salvation through this challenge.

- Maria Morrow