Wednesday, May 27, 2015

Reflection for May 28, Thursday of the Eighth Week in Ordinary Time; Mark 10:46-52

Gospel: Mark 10:46-52
As Jesus was leaving Jericho with his disciples and a sizable crowd Bartimaeus, a blind man, the son of Timaeus, sat by the roadside begging. On hearing that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to cry out and say, “Jesus, son of David, have pity on me.” And many rebuked him, telling him to be silent. But he kept calling out all the more, “Son of David, have pity on me.” Jesus stopped and said, “Call him.  So they called the blind man, saying to him, “Take courage; get up, Jesus is calling you. He threw aside his cloak, sprang up, and came to Jesus. Jesus said to him in reply, “What do you want me to do for you? The blind man replied to him, “Master, I want to see. Jesus told him, ‘Go your way; your faith has saved you. Immediately he received his sight and followed him on the way.
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Reflection:
What is persistence? Persistence is the act of not giving up no matter the great odds against us. We will continue to pursue what we want because we believe deep in our hearts that God will be with us and God will help and hear us.

The blind and poor man Bartimaeus had this very persistent mindset. All the odds were stacked  against him in his desire to have an encounter with Jesus. He was blind and poor, had no power and influence yet when he heard that Jesus was passing by he mightily shouted, “Jesus, son of David, have pity on me (Mark 10:48).”

 Bartimaeus was rebuked and told to keep silent but the more that he persisted on calling Jesus. What made bartimaeus persist? What made him believe that Jesus would hear him as He passed by?  Bartimaeus had great faith in Jesus, he believed deep in his heart that Jesus would hear and heal him.   

How persistent are we in our desire to have an encounter with Jesus? How persistence are we in our desire to get close and to be healed by Jesus?  Do we always pray? Do we always go to Mass? Do we have daily time to read His words in the bible? – Marino J. Dasmarinas

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