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| “Christ Healing the Blind” by El Greco, 1570-75 |
Reading 1: Revelation
1:1-4; 2:1-5
The revelation of Jesus
Christ, which God gave to him,
to show his servants what
must happen soon.
He made it known by sending
his angel to his servant John,
who gives witness to the word
of God
and to the testimony of Jesus
Christ by reporting what he saw.
Blessed is the one who reads
aloud
and blessed are those who
listen to this prophetic message
and heed what is written in
it, for the appointed time is near
.
John, to the seven churches
in Asia : grace to you and peace
from him who is and who was
and who is to come,
and from the seven spirits
before his throne.
I heard the Lord saying to
me:
“To the angel of the Church
in Ephesus
“‘The one who holds the seven
stars in his right hand
and walks in the midst of the
seven gold lampstands says this:
“I know your works, your
labor, and your endurance,
and that you cannot tolerate
the wicked;
you have tested those who
call themselves Apostles but are not,
and discovered that they are
impostors.
Moreover, you have endurance
and have suffered for my name,
and you have not grown weary.
Yet I hold this against you:
you have lost the love you
had at first.
Realize how far you have
fallen.
Repent, and do the works you
did at first.
Otherwise, I will come to you
and remove your lampstand
from its place, unless you repent.”’”
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Commentary on Rv 1:1-4; 2:1-5
The first part of this passage
from Revelation (Revelation 1:1-4) makes
it appear as if this were a normal letter to the Churches of Asia. Only the
introduction and salutation reflect this form. The seven Churches being
referred to are in the Roman Province of Asia which was western Turkey. The
specific Churches being referred to are mentioned in Revelation 1:11: Ephesus,
Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia, and Laodicea. Each one of
these gets their own injunction, like the one to Ephesus which is included in
this selection.
Ephesus is given praise and
criticism along with a warning that, if they do not revert to their previous
charismatic love for one another, their “lampstand” (the symbol of the
presence of Christ) will be removed. Important in the commendation to the
Ephesians is their steadfastness, and their ability to reject false apostles.
CCC: Rv 1:4 1403, 2854; Rv 2-3 401; Rv 2:5 1429
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Responsorial Psalm: Psalm
1:1-2, 3, 4 and 6
R. (Rev. 2:17) Those who are victorious I will feed
from the tree of life.
Blessed the man who follows
not
the counsel of the wicked
Nor walks in the way of sinners,
nor sits in the company of
the insolent,
But delights in the law of
the LORD
and meditates on his law day
and night.
R. Those who are victorious I will feed from the tree
of life.
He is like a tree
planted near running water,
That yields its fruit in due
season,
and whose leaves never fade.
Whatever he does, prospers.
R. Those who are victorious I will feed from the tree
of life.
Not so the wicked, not so;
they are like chaff which the
wind drives away.
For the LORD watches over the
way of the just,
but the way of the wicked
vanishes.
R. Those who are victorious I will feed from the tree
of life.
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Commentary on Ps 1:1-2, 3, 4 and 6
Psalm 1 serves as a preface to
the whole book of the psalms. The psalmist here exalts those who follow the
Lord’s commands, and reflects upon the blessings they will receive. As in Romans 6:19ff, this
selection emphasizes the contrast between the salvation of the just and the
punishment of the wicked.
This wisdom psalm begins by
extolling the virtue of those who follow the law. The focus is to look to God
for guidance, and not to trust only in the counsel of men. Those who reject the
law will be blown away like “chaff,” an image used in the Gospel as well (Matthew 3:12).
This portion of the psalm is
later echoed in Isaiah 48:17-19, like an
overlapped formula of covenant. Blessed is the man who “delights in the law
day and night,” but “the way of the wicked vanishes.” It also takes up the
theme of following right paths and staying true to the teachings of God: “Blessed
the man who follows not the counsel of the wicked nor walks in the way of
sinners, nor sits in the company of the insolent, but delights in the law of the
Lord and meditates on his law day and night.”
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Gospel: Luke
18:35-43
As Jesus approached Jericho
a blind man was sitting by
the roadside begging,
and hearing a crowd going by,
he inquired what was happening.
They told him,
“Jesus of Nazareth is passing
by.”
He shouted, “Jesus, Son of
David, have pity on me!”
The people walking in front
rebuked him,
telling him to be silent,
but he kept calling out all
the more,
“Son of David, have pity on
me!”
Then Jesus stopped and
ordered that he be brought to him;
and when he came near, Jesus
asked him,
“What do you want me to do
for you?”
He replied, “Lord, please let
me see.”
Jesus told him, “Have sight;
your faith has saved you.”
He immediately received his
sight
and followed him, giving
glory to God.
When they saw this, all the
people gave praise to God.
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Commentary on Lk 18:35-43
This passage from St. Luke’s Gospel takes place as Jesus is
returning to Jerusalem for the last time. The blind man, whom he cures,
addresses him as “Son of David,” a clear reference to Christ’s role as
Messiah. Understanding his faith, the Lord announces: “Have sight; your
faith has saved you.” The message is that those who recognize Jesus as the
Messiah are saved. As a further testament to the identity of Jesus as Messiah,
we are told the witnesses to this healing event recognized the action as a work
of God's mercy, not the work of a man: "...all the people gave praise
to God."
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Reflection:
We are in the last week of
our liturgical year, and our readings drive us toward our complete
understanding of Jesus’ mission. Revealed in scripture, he reigns as Messiah on
earth and Lord of Heaven. Even as the
mystical reality of his divinity is pondered by St. John in the Book of
Revelation (the Apocalypse), and the blind man who calls him “Son of David,” his ancient
messianic title, we find practical advice that we must follow as a consequence
of our faith and understanding.
Psalm 1 tells us that the one
who follows God’s law is “blessed.” We pause for a
moment to consider what it means to be “blessed,”
and why we should aspire to achieve that state.
First, we must avoid confusion.
Being named “Blessed” in the
Church, that is, having that title officially recognized, carries much greater
weight since it means that the person so titled has been put forward as a
Saint. That person, as a consequence of
their special grace and heroic virtue, has been presumed by the whole Church to
have achieved a special place of favor in the Kingdom of Heaven.
What we hope to consider in
this short reflection is not that formal title, but rather a personal state
that results from one’s diligence on the path toward God. Think for a moment of a person you believe to
be very much focused on following God’s commandments, and living a life
directed toward the greater glory of God.
The person does not have to be perfect, but just very much concerned
with both the faith and actions prescribed by tradition and scripture, seeking
to please God in all things.
If we are lucky enough to
know a person who has truly embarked upon such a path, we notice some things
about that person that give us an indication of what a “blessed” life might be like.
First, we notice a sense of peace about them. While they can be intense and seem driven,
underlying that intensity is a peace that comes from complete reliance on
God. When things do not go well, they
seem to take it in stride; the word “unflappable” comes to mind.
The person who has an intense
relationship with God, so necessary be “blessed,”
is also in a state of subdued joy. Some
have called this a spiritual high and it can be addictive. Those who have attained this state in any
sustained way, that rapturous comfort of knowing absolutely that God is with
you and in you, sharing your being, have done so, not because of a single event
(although a single experience may have seemed to be a trigger), but rather
because of a discipline of prayer and actions that are in harmony with the will
of the Father. Once again, this does not
mean the person is perfect (although some of the more spectacular examples of
living this “blessed” life have
seemed to be so), but have achieved that outward appearance of beatific calm
that serves as an example of faith to inspire others.
It is this “blessed” life on earth and euphoric life
in heaven we are invited to share. It is
this kind of faith that cured the blind man on the road to Jericho, and
inspired St. John to envision the Kingdom
of God
Pax
[1]
The picture is “Christ Healing the Blind” by El Greco, 1570-75
[3]
The readings are taken from the New American Bible with the exception of the
Psalm and its response which were developed by the International Committee for
English in Liturgy (ICEL). This
re-publication is not authorized by USCCB and is for private use only.
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