Dear brothers and sisters in Christ today’s readings remind us that regardless of our circumstances, God's grace is always within reach, beckoning us to respond with faith and courage.
In our first reading from the prophet Jeremiah, we encounter a beautiful promise: God declares that He will restore His people, bringing them back from exile, gathering them with compassion and care. Here, we see a vivid image of divine fatherhood, where God assures His people, “I will console them… and lead them to brooks of water, on a level road." This is a powerful reminder that our Lord is intimately concerned with our well-being, rejoicing over us like a loving parent. Despite our past struggles, tears, and distance from Him, God is always ready to extend His hand to guide us home.
Today, many of us might feel like the lost and wandering remnant. We experience confusion, despair, or just a sense of disconnection from our spiritual roots. Yet God’s promise echoes through time, calling us to a joyful return, affirming that those who have strayed can still find their way back. His intention is for us to be welcomed home, not in fear or shame, but with open arms and a heart full of love.
In the second reading from Hebrews, we are reminded of the unique and sacred role of the priesthood. The high priest represents humanity before God, offering sacrifices for sins, not just for others but also for himself.
This highlights our shared human experience: we are all beset by weakness and struggle. Jesus, in His divine calling, embodies the perfect high priest; He is both fully divine and fully human. He understands our sufferings intimately. The reading points us to the reality that we do not serve a distant God who cannot relate to us, but rather a Savior who loves us enough to take on our humanity and carry our burdens.
Turning to the Gospel of Mark, we meet Bartimaeus, a blind beggar on the roadside, who becomes a shining example of faith. Despite being rebuked by the crowd and told to remain silent, Bartimaeus, in desperation and hope, cries out to Jesus, “Son of David, have pity on me.” His perseverance reminds us that faith often requires boldness in the face of adversity. He does not allow the noise of the world to deter him from seeking the healing he so desperately desires.
When Jesus calls Bartimaeus and asks, "What do you want me to do for you?" the blind man’s response is simple yet profound: "Master, I want to see." This request is not merely physical; it speaks to a deeper longing for spiritual illumination and understanding. Jesus’ reply, “Your faith has saved you,” reveals that Bartimaeus' restoration comes not only from his physical sight but also from the faith that led him to call on Jesus in the first place.
As we reflect on these readings, let us consider what God is asking of us. Are we willing to heed the call to return to Him in these uncertain times? Are we prepared to cry out in faith like Bartimaeus, despite the distractions and doubts around us?
Our response to God’s invitation is vital. There are so many signs of incredible importance, that God is continually trying to speak to us through, but we need to open our spiritual eyes. An essential element of spiritual sight from God is connected to his truth. There is a relativism that is rampant before our very eyes, and we sometimes act as if it isn’t there and is no cause for concern. It is, and we cannot remain blind to how the evil one, who wishes to remain hidden, manipulating behind the scenes, wants to convince us that there is no objective truth, that my truth is as good as your truth and that if a woman wants to tell us she’s a man and a man a woman, then who are we to say otherwise, right? Relativism—truth depends on how it relates to me. This is blindness.
When Saint John Paul II went to his eternal reward, a new pope had to be elected from among the College of Cardinals. A mass was celebrated and presided over by Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger just before they all entered the Sistine Chapel to begin the process of election. Half way through his homily, this is what he said back in 2005:
“Today, having a clear faith based on the Creed of the Church is often labeled as fundamentalism. Whereas relativism, that is, letting oneself be "tossed here and there, carried about by every wind of doctrine", seems the only attitude that can cope with modern times. We are building a dictatorship of relativism that does not recognize anything as definitive and whose ultimate goal consists solely of one's own ego and desires.”
That was in 2005. Cardinal Ratzinger walked out of the conclave as Pope Benedict XVI, for it would seem the cardinals saw clearly enough to elect a champion of truth, rather than of relativism which hopes to befriend the confusion of the world. Since then, we’ve seen an intensification on the war on truth through relativism. Truth is objective, beautiful, one, and holy, as it comes from God, and it is no wonder that Satan sets his sight on it and continually distorts it for his own manipulative purposes. Only God can give us the clear vision to see beyond the illusory veil Satan sets before us where he tries to redefine, and therefore confuse the straightforward truth that God has instilled in all things. Satan will try to convince you that “Love is love” and no distinctions are to be made. How can love be wrong right? Well, can you love, in an intimate way, the wife of another? Can you love and pursue the husband of another? Can you love and hope to engage a child intimately? A child? No. So “love is not just love” meaning, again, the relativism that is rampant in today’s society is a ‘lovely’ tool (excuse the pun) in the hands of Satan. Love has a context, and a lot of times, in the world of debate and the exchange of ideas, this is what is missing – context! Without context, we will be blind to some aspect which will be vital for a more complete understanding.
May God give us the eyes to see and be on our guard, and love him in spirit and in truth for as Jesus once prophesied: “But a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and in truth, for the Father is seeking such as these to worship Him” John 4:23. The vision to walk in the truth and thereby worship God in a way pleasing to him is something he desires. Therefore let us strive to number among these blessed souls who have received, nurtured, and enhanced this beautiful gift of spiritual vision. Most Holy Mother Mary, Queen of all Saints, grant us a spiritual vision and heart that will draw us closer to God and to one another. Amen.
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