Fr. Eric
The Mission Sunday’s readings reminded me about an event during pope’s general audience on October 20 2021which caught both the attention of the pope and the people. Pope Francis gave a general audience and a boy daringly went to the stage and approached him. He even talked with and wanted to take the skull cap of the pope. Instead of asking the boy to go back, the pope allowed him to roam around and even distracted the protocol and the audience.
The liturgical readings present to us the mission of our God for us, His beloved sons and daughters. In the Gospel, Jesus encountered Bartimaeus, a blind beggar man sitting at the side of the road. When Bartimaeus heard that Jesus was passing by, he called upon Him to have pity and he was scolded by the disciples because he broke the protocol and distracted Jesus. But then again, the more they scolded him, the louder Bartimaeus called Jesus. Because he had a daring faith and inner freedom to encounter personally Jesus. Despite of the congestion of the crowd and the prohibition from the disciples, Jesus spotted and listened the cry of Bartimaeus, the outsider. By name, Bartimaeus means the son of the honorable. Contrary to the very meaning of his name, Bartimaeus who supposed to have an honorable and graceful life, but because of social treatment and religious regulation, now he lives a dishonorable life.
Who can restore him? Jesus Christ, the Son of God tenderly granted his wish because of his faith. In the first reading, God through prophet Jeremiah says “The Lord has saved his people, I [the Lord] will bring them (the blind, lame etc) back…and comfort them…for I am a father to Israel.” Jesus brought back Bartimaeus who had waited for a long time to be healed from the sinful ‘land’ and situation. Before, Bartimaeus was an outsider, but now he is at the center of attention, his identity is restored. He was blind physically but his daring faith of Jesus isn’t. Thus, Bartimaeus were not blind but the crowd and the disciples who are mind blindness to see the need of their fellow human. Indeed, as St Paul explains implicitly in the second reading, Jesus sympathized with him because Jesus kept in touch with His reality, situation. He understands how to be human and live in limitations and weakness.
As we celebrate Mission Sunday or Month, the story of Jesus encountering Bartimaeus can give us a good reflection on how we should live our life as the disciples of Christ. Jesus is our compassionate God whom we can freely approach Him to heal our spiritual ‘disabilities’. Because of personal dan social sin, we dishonor our identity as the beloved children of God. However, by His grace, our daring faith and following His commands, He can restore us to be a son and daughter of the honorable.
Furthermore, this story also reminds us especially the missionaries on how we carry out the mission of God. Yes, like Bartimaeus he was a missionary after experiencing God’s healing so we should be. He sent us to make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of Trinitarian God and teaching them (cf, Mat 28:20). In our respective missions, we should imitate Jesus by listening and respond to the cry and the need of the people especially the least. In preparation for the Synod of the Bishops 2022, the Pope also reminded the church to listen to God and the people. Our mission’s program, church’s regulation and system should not be obstacles but bridges for the people to experience Jesus. Like Bartimaeus, some people have already heard/known about Jesus, but they found it difficult to encounter Him personally through our sacraments because of our characters and church’s protocols which hinder them.
I am really thankful for my predecessor’s missionaries Xaverian in Sierra Leone who listened and answered the need of the people by building Catholic communities, schools and hospital which can heal the spiritual and physical blindness of the people. In fact, some Muslim friends in Mongo Bendugo, where I am now, were very grateful for the presence of Catholic mission by answering their need to provide schools for them. By witnessing and experiencing healing through these great works, some Sierra Leonians decided to be the followers of Christ and even Xaverian Missionaries. In fact, today the second Xaverian Missionary, Rev Patrick Fonah, sx from this land is going to be ordained as a missionary priest in St Conforti Parish, Makeni Diocese. Amen
The Mission Sunday’s readings reminded me about an event during pope’s general audience on October 20 2021which caught both the attention of the pope and the people. Pope Francis gave a general audience and a boy daringly went to the stage and approached him. He even talked with and wanted to take the skull cap of the pope. Instead of asking the boy to go back, the pope allowed him to roam around and even distracted the protocol and the audience.
The liturgical readings present to us the mission of our God for us, His beloved sons and daughters. In the Gospel, Jesus encountered Bartimaeus, a blind beggar man sitting at the side of the road. When Bartimaeus heard that Jesus was passing by, he called upon Him to have pity and he was scolded by the disciples because he broke the protocol and distracted Jesus. But then again, the more they scolded him, the louder Bartimaeus called Jesus. Because he had a daring faith and inner freedom to encounter personally Jesus. Despite of the congestion of the crowd and the prohibition from the disciples, Jesus spotted and listened the cry of Bartimaeus, the outsider. By name, Bartimaeus means the son of the honorable. Contrary to the very meaning of his name, Bartimaeus who supposed to have an honorable and graceful life, but because of social treatment and religious regulation, now he lives a dishonorable life.
Who can restore him? Jesus Christ, the Son of God tenderly granted his wish because of his faith. In the first reading, God through prophet Jeremiah says “The Lord has saved his people, I [the Lord] will bring them (the blind, lame etc) back…and comfort them…for I am a father to Israel.” Jesus brought back Bartimaeus who had waited for a long time to be healed from the sinful ‘land’ and situation. Before, Bartimaeus was an outsider, but now he is at the center of attention, his identity is restored. He was blind physically but his daring faith of Jesus isn’t. Thus, Bartimaeus were not blind but the crowd and the disciples who are mind blindness to see the need of their fellow human. Indeed, as St Paul explains implicitly in the second reading, Jesus sympathized with him because Jesus kept in touch with His reality, situation. He understands how to be human and live in limitations and weakness.
As we celebrate Mission Sunday or Month, the story of Jesus encountering Bartimaeus can give us a good reflection on how we should live our life as the disciples of Christ. Jesus is our compassionate God whom we can freely approach Him to heal our spiritual ‘disabilities’. Because of personal dan social sin, we dishonor our identity as the beloved children of God. However, by His grace, our daring faith and following His commands, He can restore us to be a son and daughter of the honorable.
Furthermore, this story also reminds us especially the missionaries on how we carry out the mission of God. Yes, like Bartimaeus he was a missionary after experiencing God’s healing so we should be. He sent us to make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of Trinitarian God and teaching them (cf, Mat 28:20). In our respective missions, we should imitate Jesus by listening and respond to the cry and the need of the people especially the least. In preparation for the Synod of the Bishops 2022, the Pope also reminded the church to listen to God and the people. Our mission’s program, church’s regulation and system should not be obstacles but bridges for the people to experience Jesus. Like Bartimaeus, some people have already heard/known about Jesus, but they found it difficult to encounter Him personally through our sacraments because of our characters and church’s protocols which hinder them.
I am really thankful for my predecessor’s missionaries Xaverian in Sierra Leone who listened and answered the need of the people by building Catholic communities, schools and hospital which can heal the spiritual and physical blindness of the people. In fact, some Muslim friends in Mongo Bendugo, where I am now, were very grateful for the presence of Catholic mission by answering their need to provide schools for them. By witnessing and experiencing healing through these great works, some Sierra Leonians decided to be the followers of Christ and even Xaverian Missionaries. In fact, today the second Xaverian Missionary, Rev Patrick Fonah, sx from this land is going to be ordained as a missionary priest in St Conforti Parish, Makeni Diocese. Amen