Homily: 30th Sunday in Ordinary Time – Cycle B
Friends, in our first reading
today, the prophet Jeremiah talks about the Israelite exiles returning from
their dispersion to Jerusalem—God's holy city.
His message from the Lord contains beautiful language that, for the
exiled Israelite, would have been the best news that he/she had heard in a very
long time. Here Jeremiah takes on roles
beyond that of prophet: the role of “angel”, or “God’s messenger”, as well as
“evangelist”, that is, someone who brings “good news”. The message is beautiful because it names the
anawim, that is, the poor ones, who might not otherwise be
included in a large traveling group—the blind, the lame, mothers with children,
etc.—and declares that they, too, will be included in this return to
Jerusalem. Still further, the news declares
that this will be a triumphant return: in which the roads by which they will
return will be smooth—in order to make the travel easier—and that there will be
abundant water along the way, so that no one loses strength. Those Israelites would have heard in this
message the contrast to the other great return from exile—the Exodus from
Egypt—in which their ancient forefathers traveled over rough roads and were
often without water on their journey to the land which God had promised
them. This contrast would have increased
their joy at this good news.
As I reflected on this
passage, images of the large numbers of migrants from Central America and Mexico
that have been making their way towards the United States came to mind. Please allow me to say, up front, that I am
not equating a caravan of migrants to the ancient Israelites. There are obvious differences: the migrants
are leaving their homeland, not
returning to it, and, as far as I have heard, this isn’t a migration foretold
by God. Nonetheless, there are
similarities: those in these caravans are fleeing what, for them, feels like a
desperate situation in their homeland; thus, the news of a caravan going to a
land in which they have hope for a better future for themselves and their
families inspired them to begin the journey.
The images of women with children and other seemingly weak persons
taking part in these caravans also resonate with me as I reflect on this
passage. While I don’t claim to know the
right thing to do when they arrive at our border, I think that we should, at a minimum,
hear their hopes and respond gracefully. ///
Going back to the scriptures:
in the Gospel, we see Jesus enacting a fulfillment of this prophecy from
Jeremiah. If you’ve been following along
over the past few weeks, Jesus has been on his way to Jerusalem: his final trip
to Jerusalem. Over the past few years,
he had been teaching and quite a large group of disciples had begun to follow
him. On this last trip to Jerusalem,
going up for the great feast of Passover, this large group of disciples was
following him: giving us an image of the exiled Israelites being led back to
God’s holy city.
Leaving Jericho (itself a city
of symbolism: as it was the city at the lowest point, geographically, on the
journey to Jerusalem from which one truly began his/her “ascent” to God in
Jerusalem), the blind man Bartimaeus calls out to Jesus and asks for “mercy”. He uses the messianic term, “Son of David”, to
address Jesus, thus also indicating that Jesus is doing something bigger than
just “going up for the feast”. Jesus
stops, calls the man to him and grants him his desire to see. Although Jesus dismisses the man to his own
way, Bartimaeus begins to follow Jesus to Jerusalem: the blind now joining in
this “return from exile”. While this, in
itself, is an important connection to make, I think that there is more for us
to take away this Sunday.
You see, in the Gospel, Jesus is going somewhere: he’s leading people to the fulfillment of the promise;
he’s leading people to Jerusalem, where he will be crucified. Those who are following him are following him
to the cross. The healing of the blind
man Bartimaeus shows us that Jesus came “to make all things new”; and his
leading people to Jerusalem where he will be crucified shows us that it is
through the cross that he will accomplish it.
Still more, the healing of Bartimaeus and his subsequent following of
Jesus shows us that Jesus desires that no one be left behind: if only they
would cry out to him for mercy and respond to him when he calls. For us who have been called and responded, it
is a reminder that Jesus is not leading us to nowhere, but rather from our
exile to the “new Jerusalem”: which is eternal life in God’s heavenly kingdom. ///
My brothers and sisters, one
thing we should take from these readings today is this: that we are both Bartimaeus
and Jesus. Bartimaeus, because we all
have spiritual (and perhaps physical) blindnesses that only Jesus can heal. Like Bartimaeus, we have to cry out to him,
asking for his mercy. Jesus, because he
chooses to work through us so that others might also come to experience his
mercy. We, therefore, must both cry out
to Jesus for his mercy and, like Jesus, call out to the blind who are on the
side of the road to come to him. To put
it, perhaps, more distinctly: here in the Mass we are Bartimaeus, seeking Jesus
and his mercy; then, at the end of Mass, we are sent out to be Jesus and to
call others to his mercy. ///
Friends, here we are: in exile
in this world! But God knows that he
made us to be with him in the eternal holy city that he has prepared for
us. We are following Jesus, who desires
to lead all who willingly come to him into that eternal city. His death, resurrection from the dead, and
ascension into heaven is our proof that he isn’t leading us to nowhere, but to
that place to which, deep within us, we desperately long to return. Let us, therefore, cry out to him today for
his mercy (and for mercy on all those torn by violence in this world!) and
receive from him—from this altar—what we most desire: union with him. Then, armed with this gospel—this good
news—let us go back into the world to proclaim it with our lives.
Given in Spanish at St. Paul Parish: Marion, IN – October 23rd,
2021
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