In today's Gospel, a blind man hears that Jesus is coming and calls out to him. The crowd tells him to shut up, but Jesus calls him over and heals him. This is a complex story about the many ways we respond to God's presence in our life. Are we like the blind man, the crowd who tells him to shut up, or the crowd who is amazed at the healing? Which type of encounter do we want to have with Jesus?
In today's Gospel Jesus talks about the end times, when heaven and earth will pass away. What is revealed is that we are not masters of the world or even of our own lives. God is. We are only stewards of our little corner of it. The Good News is that when this time comes, God will collect and protect his faithful. So don't worry, just tend to the little part of the world that God has given you to be steward over. The Master will handle the rest.
In today's Gospel, Jesus condemns both the Scribes and the Pharisees because they love honor and legalism more than helping others. In the first reading St. Paul tells us that we should look at the fruits of our actions to know if they are in line with the Spirit: are our actions full of love, joy, and patience, helping others live better lives?
In the Gospel today, Jesus challenges the Pharisees to see beyond themselves, helping others by giving to the poor rather than worrying about being seen as adhering to externals such as following the letter of the law. Then they will be right with God. This is an ongoing challenge to you and me, that today we might give alms and be made more as God would have us be.
Jesus asked his disciples to follow him and learn to be like him. We do not have to be perfect disciples when we start, we simply need to keep learning from the one teacher, Jesus, and to lead others to follow him as well.
Jesus told his disciples that they must love their enemies, just as God is kind even to the wicked. This is no easy thing for us, but we can start by recognising that we are already loved, and thus can reflect that love to others. Then, we can practice by loving others with an open hand, or in secret expecting nothing in return.
