Homily Thirtieth Sunday Year B Spiritual blindness
Homily Thirtieth Sunday Year B
Reading 1: The prophet Jeremiah’s earlier words from
the Lord to the Chosen People was repent and return to the Lord. If they did
not repent, then they would be overcome by their enemies and sent into exile
for seventy years. The people did not heed the word of the Lord and suffered
the consequences of their rejection of the Covenant. In exile, they recognize
that their chastisement was the result of their sins and the sins of their
leaders against God.
In our first reading, Jeremiah now gives the people in
exile a word of hope. He tells them what was to come, how they are to respond
and why was it to happen. What was to come? God would deliver them from exile
and return them to the Promised Land, no matter how scattered, broken or
scattered they were. As God led their ancestors from bondage in Egypt to the
Promise Land, he will do the same for them. Why was it to happen? God is a
father to his people. He has covenanted himself to them and them to him. The
God who showed his power in chastisement is the God who will show his power in
restoration. What seems impossible to them is possible to God. What should
their response be? Shout with joy, exalt, proclaim and acknowledge what God has
and was doing.
How can we apply this to us today? Jesus delivered us
from the bondage of sin once for all ant that grace is present to us, when we
fall again and again. We are called to repent and return to the Lord. Why would
he so love us? We are his, we belong to him by virtue of creation, redemption
and adoption. What shall our response be? We are called, not only to praise and
give thanks, but make a firm decision to remain faithful to our heavenly
Father.
These are the facts but what is the reality in our
life? What has been our past history? What is our reality today?
Gospel: The background of our Gospel today is the
spiritual blindness of the Apostles. Jesus revealed to them that he was the
expected Messiah who would suffer a cruel death but rise again. Their response
was summed up by Peter. This was not their understanding of the Messiah. They
were thinking of their power and authority which they would exercise in the
kingdom Jesus would restore. Last Sunday, Jesus shared that the Messiah has
come to lay down his life, to serve not to be served.
In today’s reading, a man recognized his physical
blindness, but he had spiritual insight. He believed that Jesus could heal him
and would heal him. He professed Jesus as the Son of David, the Messiah. He
remained resolute in spite of the negative reactions of the crowd. He trusted
in the4 word of Jesus, “what do you want me to do for you?” His faith, acceptance, openness and trust in
Jesus opened him to the healing he desired. His spiritual insight led to his
physical sight, which led to his physical and spiritual commitment to Jesus. He
followed him. He became a disciple. He didn’t receive the gift of physical
sight and just walked away. His encounter with Jesus would not allow him to be
the same after as before. If it did, he would not be grateful. To be touched by
Jesus means that one become more committed to him. To be more committed means
we become more aware of other areas of spiritual blindness within for Jesus to
heal.
What are our areas of spiritual blindness? Do we
really believe that Jesus can free us? Do we call upon him with conviction and
hope? Do we do what he asks us to do? Are we so trusting in him that nothing
else matters?
Reading 2: The Son was called by the Father to be the
Priest/Victim for our sake. He was called to embrace the cross, to give his
life as an offering in reparation for our sins, so that we could live with God
forever. What was Jesus’ response? Obedience even to death by crucifixion. Why? He knew the Father’s love and he loved
the Father and loved us. It was this bond of love that enable Jesus to embraced
the role of victim for our sake. He is our justification and righteousness.
Through his loving obedience he sets us an example.
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