20241206 JOURNEYING IN FAITH TOGETHER SUSTAINS US
First reading | Isaiah 29:17-24 |
In a very short time, the deaf will hear and the eyes of the blind will see
The Lord says this:
In a short time, a very short time,
shall not Lebanon become fertile land
and fertile land turn into forest?
The deaf, that day,
will hear the words of a book
and, after shadow and darkness,
the eyes of the blind will see.
But the lowly will rejoice in the Lord even more
and the poorest exult in the Holy One of Israel;
for tyrants shall be no more, and scoffers vanish,
and all be destroyed who are disposed to do evil:
those who gossip to incriminate others,
those who try at the gate to trip the arbitrator
and get the upright man’s case dismissed for groundless reasons.
Therefore the Lord speaks,
the God of the House of Jacob,
Abraham’s redeemer:
No longer shall Jacob be ashamed,
no more shall his face grow pale,
for he shall see what my hands have done in his midst,
he shall hold my name holy.
They will hallow the Holy One of Jacob,
stand in awe of the God of Israel.
Erring spirits will learn wisdom
and murmurers accept instruction.
Responsorial Psalm |
Psalm 26(27):1,4,13-14 |
The Lord is my light and my help.
The Lord is my light and my help;
whom shall I fear?
The Lord is the stronghold of my life;
before whom shall I shrink?
The Lord is my light and my help.
There is one thing I ask of the Lord,
for this I long,
to live in the house of the Lord,
all the days of my life,
to savour the sweetness of the Lord,
to behold his temple.
The Lord is my light and my help.
I am sure I shall see the Lord’s goodness
in the land of the living.
Hope in him, hold firm and take heart.
Hope in the Lord!
The Lord is my light and my help.
Gospel Acclamation | cf.Is45:8 |
Alleluia, alleluia!
Send victory like a dew, you heavens,
and let the clouds rain it down.
Let the earth open and bring forth the saviour.
Alleluia!
Or: |
Alleluia, alleluia!
Behold, our Lord will come with power
and will enlighten the eyes of his servants.
Alleluia!
Gospel | Matthew 9:27-31 |
'Take care that no-one learns about this'
As Jesus went on his way two blind men followed him shouting, ‘Take pity on us, Son of David.’ And when Jesus reached the house the blind men came up with him and he said to them, ‘Do you believe I can do this?’ They said, ‘Sir, we do.’ Then he touched their eyes saying, ‘Your faith deserves it, so let this be done for you.’ And their sight returned. Then Jesus sternly warned them, ‘Take care that no one learns about this.’ But when they had gone, they talked about him all over the countryside.
06 December 2024, Friday, 1st Week in Advent
JOURNEYING IN FAITH TOGETHER SUSTAINS US
SCRIPTURE READINGS: [IS 29:17-24; PS 27:1,4,13-14; MT 9:27-31]
We all carry much burdens in life because of illnesses, betrayals, disappointments or failed relationships. Quite often, the burden we carry is due to our work and family commitments. We worry for our loved ones, and whether we can provide them with a comfortable life. We are afraid of suffering and failure. We want the best for our children and our parents. But more often than not, in carrying the burdens of life, we find ourselves having to carry them alone. In moments when we are most in need, even our close friends and trusted collaborators fail us. What is worse is that when we need God most, we push Him aside because we do not trust that He can solve our problems, or that He would hear our prayers.
However, the gospel portrays a God that cares for us. The scriptures tell us that God is wonderful, caring and concerned about our needs in life. He feels with us in our pain and suffering. Whenever the Lord encounters people who suffer, His heart goes out to them, whether it is the leper, the blind man, the widow who lost her son, or the man who was deaf. In today’s gospel, He was moved by the cry of the two blind men. Jesus understands human suffering simply because He was truly a man, having assumed our humanity and suffering. He says to us, “Come to me, all you that are weary and are carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me; for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” (Mt 11:28-30) Truly, when we are heavily burdened, coming to Jesus gives us a renewed strength and vision to overcome our burdens. When we know that we are not carrying the burden alone because Jesus is with us, our burden will be lighter.
Today, we are asked to renew our faith and trust in God. We are called to imitate the two blind men who came to Jesus, crying out, “Take pity on us, Son of David.” They came with faith and trust in Him. When the Lord asked them, “‘Do you believe I can do this?’ They said, ‘Sir, we do.'” Indeed, when we are heavily burdened, we must go to Jesus in faith and trust, believing that He will be able to take away our burden. All that is needed is that we come to Him in faith and in trust. Faith in Him is what is required from us to receive His healing grace. When the blind men came to Jesus, He asked them whether they truly believed in Him. Faith is a pre-requisite. When we have faith in God, He will transform our lives. God has the power to change anything. As the angel told Mary, “For nothing will be impossible with God.” (Lk 1:37) On the cross, Jesus made that ultimate act of faith in His Father, believing that His Father will do the impossible by entrusting His mission to the Holy Spirit when He was not able to complete it by His death. This is why we must never give up hope but trust in God who can transform events and our lives. The Lord “touched their eyes saying, ‘Your faith deserves it, so let this be done for you.’ And their sight returned.”
Some of us might lack faith because we do not know the identity of Jesus. Although the two men were blind, ironically, they knew Jesus’ identity better than the crowd who followed Jesus. When they could not see, they used their ears to hear and their eyes of faith to see. They called out to Jesus and recognized Him as the “Son of David” which was a messianic title and implicitly affirmed Jesus as the Messiah and the One who was to restore the Kingdom of David. They believed in Jesus – that as the Messiah, He would lead them and the people to freedom. Even then, their understanding of the Messiah was a political messiah. But the Lord also understands. He will lead us from faith to faith. Often, people come to God with a self-centred faith. It is about themselves. Sometimes our faith in God is a superstitious faith. But this faith can grow as we encounter Him more deeply and come to know Him.
This was the case of the blind men who were healed. It is significant that after curing the blind men, the Lord said, “‘Take care that no one learns about this.’ But when they had gone, they talked about him all over the countryside.” In other words, the Lord was saying to them, “See to it that no one finds out about this.” But they did not listen or pay attention to what the Lord said to them. Although they could see, it was only a physical sight. They lacked the spiritual sight to understand that by their speaking about Jesus, it would only sensationalize His miraculous powers instead of knowing Jesus’ His true identity. They might have regained their physical sight, but they still had a long way to regain their spiritual sight.
Regardless, faith in God will bring about our transformation. This is what the first reading wants to assure us. The prophet says, “The Lord says this: In a short time, a very short time, shall not Lebanon become fertile land and fertile land turn into forest? The deaf, that day, will hear the words of a book and, after shadow and darkness, the eyes of the blind will see.” Indeed, we must be patient in allowing God to transform our lives. The Lord promised Israel that He would vindicate them in due time. “But the lowly will rejoice in the Lord even more and the poorest exult in the Holy One of Israel; for tyrants shall be no more, and scoffers vanish, and all be destroyed who are disposed to do evil: those who gossip to incriminate others, those who try at the gate to trip the arbitrator and get the upright man’s case dismissed for groundless reasons.” However, it is not enough simply to ask the Lord for physical healing. What is even more important is the healing of heart and mind. The prophecy of Isaiah and that of our Lord apply also to the spiritual transformation of the person. We must ask the Lord to help us see beyond our petitions and to see what God wants of us.
Praying for His enlightenment is necessary. God has His own time to answer us. He knows what is best for us. We need to wait for Him to work His miracles in our lives. He wants us to be certain of what we are asking of Him. This is why, often the Lord does not respond immediately to our prayers. God wants us to understand the implications of having our requests answered, and that the need is genuine. For some of us, we are asking God for this and that because everyone else is asking. But do we really need them? Why do we need them? This was why the Lord sought clarification from the blind men that they were sincere in their quest. In the case of the blind men, when they were healed, they would from then on have to learn to be independent and no longer having to beg. They would then have to play their part in working and helping their families and the rest of society. This is true for those of us who ask that we be promoted at work, for a salary increment, or some financial assistance. Those who have been given more would be expected to be responsible and use their resources well, not just for themselves but for the good of others.
Hence, sometimes, people do not want to get well because they would have to assume responsibilities in life for themselves and for others. Some of us like to be pampered and live on the kindness of others. For those of us who truly seek to be restored to health, are we ready to undertake the responsibility of regular exercise and careful dieting? Those of us who want to be promoted at work, are we willing to assume more responsibilities and hard work? There are those who are not ready should therefore not be asking God to grant them something that they are not sincere about. Unfortunately, sometimes we do not see properly. Indeed, true faith in God enables us to see the truth about God and the truth about ourselves. Faith enables us to see in God. Anyone who fears is not of God. With the psalmist we say, “The Lord is my light and my help; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life; before whom shall I shrink? There is one thing I ask of the Lord, for this I long, to live in the house of the Lord, all the days of my life, to savour the sweetness of the Lord, to behold his temple. Hope in him, hold firm and take heart. Hope in the Lord!”
Finally, we can learn from the two blind men that we should support each other in faith as well. They travelled together because both had a common handicap. So too, we must not travel alone. As pilgrims, we must travel with each other, giving courage to one another so that we can support each other in difficult times. We should not travel alone but journey with our fellowmen in their suffering. We can give hope and strength to each other to persevere until we find a solution. Through the sharing of life and faith, we will not lose sight of God and walking in His path.
Written by His Eminence, Cardinal William SC Goh, Roman Catholic Archbishop of Singapore © All Rights Reserved.
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