Sunday Gospel Comment
Alberic Jacovone OSB
YEAR B THIRTIETH SUNDAY OF THE YEAR - 26.10.03 Jer 31,7-9; Hb 5,1-6; Mk 10,46-52 The Last Lesson the hardest to learn At the School of Jesus Today's story of blind-man Bartimaeus, closes Act Four of Markıs Gospel (8,22 -10,52): in the midst of mounting opposition, the disciples learn many valuable lessons about life: Christian life, life of faith and way of the cross. Today, we are taught the last lesson, which is always the hardest to learn: to let go and let God. If read out of context, this miracle-story is out of place, but in fact the opposite is the case. On purpose Mark arranges the events of Jesusı life in such a way as to provide a course on becoming a disciple, and the hard discipline that is required to becoming one. In his rich symbolic language, Mark pictures all disciples, as pupils and students at the school of Jesus, where a life-long program is offered, until Christ is formed in us. Here, Jesus is the Teacher, in the line of all rabbinical schools of his time. In fact, He is the only Rabbi, (or Rabbuni = my teacher, as Bartimaeus puts it in todayıs story). It follows, that the apostles and other followers -men and women- are the disciples, (or Talmidim = the singular is Talmid and the noun for learning and study is Talmud). A School of life As with students of any school, we (the disciples of Jesus): respond, object, protest, ask questions and make remarks that at times are harsh, rebellious and passionate. Remarks like: This is a hard teaching, it's impossible, if this is the case, who can be savedı. With the Apostles, we often fail to understand and finish up doing the opposite of what we are taught. It takes time to learn and absorb the meaning of the Cross until Christ is formed in us. In this school, we slowly learn to let go of all interests: and come, and follow, and stay, and live with the Lord. We are reminded that at this school, we never become Oknow-allı; and never become Rabbis and Teachers in our own right. Jesus remains the Teacher of all time, for all our life, for one and all. As he did with the apostles, He confronts us, addresses us, calls us apart, sits in our midst, and uses every strategy to teach and show us the way to God. Like them, we learn but never without a fight, and never quite fully, and all our life we stay at the School of the Lordıs service. Last lesson You can't do it on your own. Understanding God's mysterious plan; and then stacking all our life at God's service, can be... simply too much. Mark makes it abundantly clear, that OGodıs ways are not our ways. In its process of learning, our human reason will always go against the grind, react and resist. But in the end, with the support of Godıs grace, it will come to accept Godıs ways with the eyes of faith. Well, it is to give this point its maximum impact, that Mark places here the miracle-story of blind Bartimaeus. What he means to say is: Being a Christian is not easy, and it's never been. You cannot, and will not, do it on your own. On your human resources and ingenuity, you will never learn and understand. A life of faith is a miracle of grace: only a miracle of faith; and only God's supernatural help will enable you to see, own and live out Godıs loving designs for you. Mature faith is experienced, as seeing -anew- with the eyes of faith; as coming from total blindness into total vision. Like Bartimaeus, we plead that we may see; and as we see, we joyfully follow the Lord, into the way of everlasting life. ______________________________________ |
