Readings for October 27th:
- Jeremiah 31:7–9
- Psalm 126:1–2, 2–3, 4–5, 6
- Hebrews 5:1–6
- Mark 10:46–52
What this week’s readings say to me:
This week’s readings are a reminder that we need a Savior and that we have one. In the first passage, the Lord unites the scattered tribes of Israel and leads them out of captivity and mourning. The psalm praises God for this liberation, this cause for joy. It expresses faith that God’s providence and never ceases. Working for the Lord, though often difficult, will bear good fruit. The epistle identifies Christ as the Savior whose liberating power, mercy, and providence are never-ending. The Gospel passage is a reminder. God wants us to be equally unrelenting. We should continuously ask for Divine liberation, mercy, and providence.
God wants us to participate in these gifts because participation, not passivity, allows for spiritual growth and relationships. So do the following:
- recognizing that God is in our midst. This presence is reflected in so many ways and is recognizable to each of us in unique ways
- recognizing the desire within us for God
- continuing to call out to God despite fear, doubt, and other resistance from within and resistance from without.
- trusting that God responds when we persevere in faith
What I’m saying (to the readings and beyond) this week:
I wish I were as persistent as the blind man in the Gospel passage. I also wish God’s responses to my prayers were as direct and as Jesus’ response is in the Gospel passage. I also wish God’s responses addressed my desires as clearly as Jesus does the blind man’s desire in the Gospel passage. Maybe part of the problem is my ability (or lack thereof) to perceive the response. Likely another factor is my inability to understand how my desires and God’s responses to them fit into God’s vision.
What someone else is sharing about this week’s readings:
In a reflection on this week’s gospel passage, Courtney Esteves explores the implications of the question, “What do you want?” She invites us to think about what it tells us about Jesus. It also reveals something about ourselves. Additionally, it informs us about others whom we ask the question. She encourages us to be open to various responses to that question. These responses offer insight we see them as significant or insignificant.
This week’s prayer:
Lord, help me to be persistent in turning to You to satisfy my desires. Help me to perceive Your responses and to recognize in them Your wisdom and love. Amen.
Sitting with the Sacred 