05 December, 2014 Friday of the First Week of Advent Reading 1 IS 29:17-24 Thus says the Lord GOD:But a very little while,and Lebanon shall be changed into an orchard,and the orchard be regarded as a... Responsorial Psalm PS 27:1, 4, 13-14 R. (1a) The Lord is my light and my salvation.The LORD is my light and my salvation;whom should I fear?The LORD is my life’s... Todays Gospel Reflection in audio Gospel MT 9:27-31 As Jesus passed by, two blind men followed him, crying out, “Son of David, have pity on us!” When he entered the house, the blind men approached him and Jesus said to them, “Do you believe that I can do this?” “Yes, Lord,” they said to him. Then he touched their eyes and said, “Let it be done for you according to your faith.” And their eyes were opened. Jesus warned them sternly, “See that no one knows about this.” But they went out and spread word of him through all that land. GOSPEL REFLECTION December 5, Friday Matthew 9: 27 -31 “Son Of David, Have Pity On Us!” There are many stories of healing in the Gospels. Some of them are dramatic miracles, others reveal the ‘prayers of the plain men’, prayers from the heart. Today’s story is one of them. The episode of the healing of the two blind men is found twice in Matthew, in chapter 9 and in chapter 20. Matthew has taken the story from its original source in Mark, where it is just one blind man, Bartimaeus, whom Jesus heals. Is this reason to suspect the authenticity of the narrative ? Are the details of the story contradictory ? No, for as we have seen repeatedly in the Gospels, it is not what is said, but the meaning of what is said which is important. And the meaning of the story is this: the cries of the blind men acknowledge, even if imperfectly, Jesus as messiah. Jesus in turn invites these ordinary beggars to deepen their relationship with him. Matthew places this healing event just before Jesus’s triumphant entry into Jerusalem, thereby articulating the rise of a popular messianic feeling as Jesus approaches Jerusalem. The blind men sense who Jesus is, even though they’ve never set eyes on him, and they greet him with the title: Son of David, have pity of us! In their minds Jesus is one with the popular saviour of old, King David. It was commonly believed that the messiah would be of David’s lineage. Not just of David’s blood and family, but that in Jesus was fully realized the noble, god-fearing nature of this mythical king, who so symbolized Israel’s glory — a man “according to God’s own heart”. Thus “son of David” came to mean someone who is a true leader, chosen by God himself. The blind men cry aloud and keep crying out. The crowds try to hush them up, but they won’t be stopped. “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on us !” they repeat again and again. The Master pauses and addresses them: “What do you want me to do for you ?” Or again, “Do you believe that I have the power to give you what you want ?” The two men blurt out their answer. Again and again, Matthew reminds us that it’s not so much the cure which is significant as the Lord’s invitation to the one who asks, an invitation to share a deeper relationship of trust, of acceptance of his values. The cure is effected, and overwhelmed with joy and gratitude, the men proclaim the Lord’s mercies again and again throughout the countryside. As with many other disciples, they too have “seen the Lord”, and his touch has transformed their lives. Gospel Reflections in Audio
Posted on: Thu, 04 Dec 2014 22:08:59 +0000
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