All Saints

The Catholic Church teaches that saints, canonised or otherwise, are not simply role models or exemplars. They are the great cloud of witnesses (Heb. 12: 1) "on whose constant intercession in your  (God's) presence we rely for unfailing help." (Euch Prayer III) Our God is the God of the living (Mk 12: 27) and the saints are alive to him and in him. Together with us in the liturgy we sing the "Holy, holy" as the Church spans the divide in space and time to be united in giving God praise. In this way we can be confident that the saints are close to us and assist us in our prayers. They are not distant to us but call us on so that we may join them in the heavenly courts to sing forever of the marvellous love and mercy of the God revealed to us in Christ Jesus.

 

30th Sunday in Ordinary Time

The thing that strikes me about Bartimaeus in the Gospel today is his energy. We don't know how long has has been blind or how old he is but it is clear that he is an blind, adult male who has to survive by begging alms from others. Despite their attempts to marginalise and silende him he is determind to encounter Jesus. He "shouts" and he "cries out even more loudly." When Jesus asks for him he throw off his cloak, springs up  and goes directly to the Lord. In other words he will let nothing get in his way as he rushes out to the one he knows as the "Son of David." The onlookers see Jesus as some kind of celebrity. To Bartimaeus Jesus is his only chance to regain his sight. Not only does he receive that he also gets to follow Jesus "on the way." This is the way that leads to the Cross but it also leads to salvation. Bartimaeus takes up his own life. He no longer needs to rely on others as he has Jesus who rewards his faith and leads him to the future with eyes opened to the glory of God. 

29th Sunday in Ordinary Time

It is interesting that in the Gospel of Matthew the episode in today's Gospel reading has the mother of James and John making the request instead of the men making the petition themselves. Was it embarrassing to the Matthean community that the naked ambition and jealousy among the Apostles should be exposed in this way? Saint Mark has no such qualms. He not only speaks of the power  grab of the two brothers but also of the indignation of the other ten Apostles. In other words Saint Peter was one of those unhappy at this attempt to unseat him. Jesus challenges all of them and in doing so he instructs us too. Isn't it excellent that the Early Church had the honesty to record these less than edifying moments among the first disciples? Otherwise, we could be fooled into thinking that just because these men later became great saints and martyrs that somehow they did not experience the weaknesses and sinful promptings that afflict us too. May we all grow in faith as the Apostles did so that when people speak of us at the end of our lives they too will give thanks to God for a life of faith and good works.

28th Sunday in Ordinary Time

In the Gospel today the rich young man asks: "what must I do to inherit eternal life." In saying this he seems to regard the Kingdom of Heaven in worldly terms. Perhaps he became rich by inheriting a fortune in the first place? All he needs to do to participate in God's reign is to be a good boy and keep his nose clean. This impression is intensified when he replies to Jesus that "I have kept all these (the commandments) since my youth." He is well intentioned but remains at the centre of his own world. Jesus, who looks at him with love, challenges his to put the Kingdon at the centre, to go out of his comfort zone and engage with God's reality which entails detachment from material success and riches. The young man is sad. He thought that his riches were a sign of favour and not a hindrence to action. The question I can ask myself is: what attachments do I have that prevent me from being an effective disciple serving the Gospel in my daily life?