Last week, once the blind beggar, Bartimaeus, received his sight – Jesus told him to go his way, his faith had cured him.
But Bartimaeus chose not to go his own way – but to follow Jesus on HIS way – the way that led to Jerusalem: the city of passion, death, and resurrection. Starting with today’s Gospel – Jesus is now in Jerusalem – and the last few weeks of his life are filled with confrontation and controversy – although the readings we have on Sundays as we finish out St. Mark’s Gospel – really don’t reflect all the turmoil Jesus faces in the Holy City. We do get a taste of intended controversy in today’s Gospel when Jesus is in the entry court of the Jewish Temple--- when a scribe, someone who knew the 614 laws of Israel well – asks Jesus what he thinks is the greatest of all these commandments. Now for each of these commandments, scribes and Pharisees would develop ways to interpret each of them. For example, there were 39 different categories of work that must be avoided just to properly observe the 3rd commandment --- to keep holy the Sabbath. Despite the well intentioned efforts of the scribes and Pharisees to help people follow the law, law-abiding Jews, or those who tried to be – were crushed under the burden of laws and their interpretations. And Jesus knew this. So instead of answering the scribe with just one particular law that was most important – Jesus answers by telling him what underlies all the laws – and what the observance of the laws should lead to: the love of God and love of neighbor. The law was not to be kept for the sake of the law itself – although sadly that is how many Jews, especially the scribes and the Pharisees lived their lives – just keeping the law. But Jesus is posing the bigger question of what good is the law and keeping it even to perfection – if it doesn’t lead us closer to God and one another. And we might think right here, right now – ho hum ---- we’ve heard this all before. And just go on living our lives as we’ve always lived them. Or we may think this is all pretty simple – and it is--- when we hear it in here ----------- but when we are told: Go, the Mass is ended ------------ and we have to leave this place and go out and live our lives according to this Gospel challenge – then things aren’t so simple any more. Yes, when we go out and try to put these words of Jesus into practice – that’s when things get a little sticky – When we try to choose to ease pain, instead of cause it. Try our best to lift people up instead of put them down. When we reach out a helping hand instead of withdrawing in fear. When we strive for reconciliation instead of continuing conflict and division. When we try our best to remember it’s not all about me but about us – as we strive to achieve the common good instead of just what’s good for me. When we try to open our eyes to the needs of our brothers and sisters and strive to comfort those who labor and are burdened. That’s when things get a little sticky – when things aren’t so simple anymore. To even have a chance of trying to serve others after the example of Christ and at his command --- we must constantly develop our relationship with God, ask God for the grace, the help, that we all need – in order to be those living witnesses of truth and freedom, and of justice and peace. It would do us good to remember the advice Bartimaeus gave us last week: -to never listen to the crowd who often times try to talk us out of pursuing our hopes and dreams – such as making the kingdom of God more present by our words and actions. -to remember that if we’re feeling lonely or afraid, thinking that no one cares about us or even sees us – especially the difference we are trying to make in the world – to know that Jesus is aware of us – and eager to have personal contact with us in the silence of our hearts. And in the silence of our hearts, in prayer – to ask Jesus for what we need, not for what we want. And what we need is the grace to do our best to continue the mission of Jesus Christ: by loving God and loving our neighbor. And then also we might want to remember this piece of advice which C.S. Lewis gives in his book, Mere Christianity: “Do not waste your time bothering whether you LOVE your neighbor – just act as if you do. As soon as you do this, we find one of the great secrets of life. When you are behaving as if you loved someone – you will presently come to love them. If you do a good deed for someone you dislike, you will find yourself disliking them less.” Or a Jesus might have put if: always let love overcome hatred. And then, we will not be far from the kingdom of God.
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My name – is Bartimaeus: a blind beggar who lived in Jericho. . . And I spent most of my days just feeling sorry for myself. . . I was good at throwing pity parties.
Ironic – since my name means “son of Timaeus” which in turn means “respected one.” But there were few in town who had any respect for me. Because in my day – if you suffered in some physical way – blindness, deafness, leprosy, were maimed or crippled in some way --- it was thought it was due to some sin you committed – or some sin your parents had committed before you were born-- as moral faults and failings were supposedly passed down from one generation to the next. So there I was – going nowhere. Hoping that someone would throw a few coins my way – which is why I had my one possession – my cloak – spread out over my legs and onto the ground to catch those precious alms. . . On one somewhat normal day in our somewhat normal town – I heard a commotion. “It’s Jesus of Nazareth” the crowd cried out. . . Jesus of Nazareth I thought – I had heard about him – he’s the one who cures sick people, cares for those who are poor, and weeps with those who are sad. --- and so I decided to take a chance and to beg for more than just alms on this somewhat normal day. So I cried out at the top of my lungs: “Jesus, son of David, have pity on me.” I found out later that I was the only one who ever called Jesus Son of David in all of St. Mark’s account of his life. Everyone else referred to him as the Son of God. . . or as the Messiah, or as Jesus of Nazareth. But after begging many a day outside the synagogue and hearing the Scriptures proclaimed – I knew that the Messiah was to come from the house and lineage of the great King David. So when I cried out, the crowd immediately tried to shut me up. Let me give a piece of advice – never listen to the crowd, as nothing good can come from that. . . They wanted me to be quiet because they thought I was unworthy of Jesus’s attention – sinner that I supposedly was. I wonder if they thought any different of me once Jesus did give me his attention. . . because when I cried out all the louder – Jesus, Son of David, have pity on me --- Jesus invited me to come to him. Imagine, in that crowd – all those important people pushing and shoving around him – asking him for this and that --- Jesus became aware of me – no one important, no one of status --- just a broken man who was eager for personal contact with the one everyone was calling the Messiah. “Take courage; get up – Jesus is calling you,” they said – not too enthusiastically, but almost in contempt as they held on to their opinion of me. And my response was not just an exultant physical leap toward Jesus – but also a leap of faith. Because I threw my cloak to the ground – my last and only possession that for me, a beggar – served as my coat, my sleeping bag, and a collecting rug for the few coins tossed my way – my whole livelihood! Because nothing else now mattered to me – not even that dusty bit of turf I sat on day after day -- that, like any beggar, I would have protectively guarded on any other day. But not that day – because nothing mattered anymore – Jesus had called me! And when I got to him, Jesus asked me one question – one important and life-changing question --- which I heard later he asked two of his disciples just a few days earlier: “What do you want me to do for you?” Again I was later told that my response as a marginalized outsider --- was very different than the response of his two insider disciples – they wanted power and prestige. . . Me? Aware of my poverty and disability – I just wanted to see! So I said to him --- image me, speaking to the Messiah! --- I said: master – which is Rabboni in Aramaic, used just one other time in all the Gospels by one of his closest followers: Mary Magdalene – who calls him Rabboni after his resurrection when they met outside the tomb in John’s Gospel – Rabboni, Master, I say --- I want to see! And Jesus, in his wisdom and insight --- knew I had the eyes of faith – for I had called hum both Son of David AND Rabboni ---- now Jesus gave me eyes to see the world ---- as he said to me: “Go your way: your faith has saved you.” After all of these years of feeling sorry for myself, and scraping by on the few coins that were thrown my way – I could see --- and with my bright blue eyes fully functioning --- I could now go wherever I wanted to go ---------- but there was only one way I wanted to go: my choice was to follow Jesus on his way – the way that led to Jerusalem: a city of passion, death, and resurrection. So I am Bartimaeus, now a seeing disciple from Jericho – and this is my story. Now in addition to my advice to you of not listening to the crowd – never let anyone talk you out of pursuing your hopes and your dreams – I have these three other bits of advice: --when you’re feeling lonely or afraid, thinking no one cares about you or even sees you – know that Jesus is always aware of you – and is eager to have personal contact with you in the silence of your heart. --and in that silence of your heart, in prayer --- when Jesus asks you: what do you want me to do for you? Don’t chase after power and prestige—or all the other sparkly things the world tries to entice you with --- But do look deep within yourself and answer that question from your heart: what is it you really need from Jesus: forgiveness, a sense of direction or purpose, affirmation, a need just to feel loved or accepted? Whatever it is – don’t be afraid to ask – but do make it a need, not a want. For when Jesus does ask: What do you want me to do for you – it’s an important and always a life-changing question. And finally – when Jesus gives you the freedom of choice to go your way --- just as he did for me -- why not choose to follow Jesus on his way – the way that leads to Jerusalem – the city of passion, death, and resurrection. If you do make this choice, your life will never be the same. Today’s homily will be a bit different – as most of it will be kind of a guided meditation – although before we get to that, we need to come to understanding about the symbolism of the cup – an ordinary drinking cup or a glass – certainly a chalice – has been used as a symbol for one’s life in the Scriptures -- as in Psalms: “I will take the cup of salvation, and call upon the name of the Lord.”
Or in Jesus’ words of Agony in the Garden of Gethsemane: “Father, if it is possible, let this cup – let this moment of life -- pass from me – yet not as I will, but as you will.” And also the cup has been symbolic in secular literature for one’s life – As in Ray Bradbury writing: “we are all cups – constantly and quietly being filled.” Or Julia Ward Howe: “Life is like a cup of tea – which needs to be stirred up from time to time – as all the sugar settles at the bottom.” A cup ---is meant to be filled with something – and so a question that often comes along in the Gospels is--- are we filling our cups with the values of the kingdom of God – or the values of the world? Sometimes are cups are so filled with the things of the world – the things of heaven cannot make their way inside. . . hence the image of emptying ourselves -- as in St. Paul’s letter to the Philippines in which he says of Christ: “he emptied himself, taking on the form of a slave. . .” With this image or metaphor of a cup in mind – we begin our guided meditation – perhaps with eyes closed – or perhaps even better. . . with our eyes focused on the cross. Hear, again, these words of the Prophet Isaiah – read to us not only today – but also during Holy Week: The Lord was pleased to crush Christ in infirmity. Because of Christ’s affliction, he shall see the light in fullness of days. Through Christ’s suffering, God’s servant shall justify many, and their guilt he shall lay bare. Yes, Jesus, as you hung on the cross, you carried our faults, failings, infirmities, and sins – to God—and crushed them – setting us free! And now you ask us one question – one important and life-changing question: Can you drink the cup that I drink? And we should not be too quick with our answer. We should answer carefully – and prayerfully. . . Either yes – or no ----- Can you drink the cup that I drink? There might not be a more important or difficult question for us to answer. . . And before we do --- we should consider some of the things we have heard over the last several months: “Nothing that enters one from outside can defile that person – but only the things that come out from within are what defile.” Can you drink the cup that I drink? Are we ready to turn loose of evil thoughts, greed, malice and deceit? Rid ourselves of envy, arrogance and folly. All these evils come from within – and they defile us – and they make the inside of our cups, our lives -- unclean. . . Jesus asks: Can you drink from the cup I drink? “Whoever wishes to come after me must deny themselves, take up their cross, and follow me. For whoever wishes to save their life will lose it. . .” Are we willing to conform, as our opening prayer asked us to do: to conform our will to God’s and serve God with a sincere heart? Are we willing to lose our lives in the grace, mercy, and forgiveness of God – or cling to our old, sinful ways? Jesus asks: Can you drink the cup I drink? “If anyone wishes to be first, they shall be the last of all and servant of all.” Are we willing to embrace a life of humility which puts other people and their needs first – before our own – willing to empty ourselves out for the sake of others and the kingdom of God --- or do we pray that this cup passes from us? Jesus asks: Can you drink the cup I drink? “If your hand causes you to sin – cut it off. Or if your foot causes you to sin – cut it off. And if your eye causes you to sin – pluck it out. . .” Are we willing to cut those things out of our lives that keep us from following after Jesus so that we can think like God thinks – see what God sees, want what God wants – and love what God loves? This is our cup: the calling we have received, the life God has chosen for us to live. . . Jesus asks: Can you drink from the cup I drink? If we ever find ourselves wondering what our faith “costs,” what discipleship “cost”--- Jesus lays it out pretty clearly. It costs everything. We just need to look at the cross to know. . . There isn’t a cheaper price out there. There is no bargain basement when it comes to following Jesus – there is no easier way. . . Do we want to give, but only in small doses? Not possible. Do we want to love, but only when it’s convenient? It doesn’t work that way. Do we want to forgive, but not for the really bad stuff others have done to us --- Not on the menu. Jesus asks: Can you drink the cup I drink? We can’t look for a lower price when it comes to discipleship. We have to pledge to embrace the highest possible price – the way of life that costs us the most, the only way of life truly worth living. And to do it – we must confidently approach the throne of grace to receive mercy and to find grace for help –as the Letter to the Hebrews tells us --- and to always remember the wisdom of last Sunday’s Gospel: “For human beings, it is impossible, but not for God. All things are possible for God.” And Jesus asks: can you drink the cup I drink? May we carefully, and prayerfully, and whole-heartedly answer – YES! For this is our cup – the calling we have received to follow after Christ – the life God has chosen for us to live. . . ----------------------------------------------------------------------- And for our candidates for Confirmation – I know some of you are probably receiving this sacrament – because your parents want you to. My hope is, that all of you will come to choose it because you want to receive it --- And so it is a big step – it should be a life-changing step in your faith-life ---- and so we pray for you now and in the days to come – that you may be faithful in the decision you are making. . . |
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