Thursday, June 1, 2023

Memorial of Saint Justin, Martyr

(Sirach 42:15-25; Mark 10:46-52)

Jesus asks Bartimaeus what he might do for him, the blind man replies, “’I want to see.’”  Bartimaeus may not realize it, but he already sees what is most important.  His mind’s eye recognizes Jesus as the Savior.  Today’s patron saint comes to a similar spiritual vision.

Born into a Greco-Roman family, Justin studied philosophy and rhetoric.  Around the age of thirty having been encouraged to read the Scriptures, he became a Christian.  Justin spent the second half of his life teaching the coherence of Christian faith and philosophy.  He was martyred after refusing to profess faith in the Roman deities.

We too possess the spiritual vision of Bartimaeus and Justin Martyr.  It is more valuable than physical sight because it allows us to know the goodness of the Lord.  He makes us better people and, when the time comes, will save us from death.

Homilette for Friday, December 5, 2008

Friday of the First Week of Advent

(Isaiah 29:17-24; Matthew 9:27-31)

In explaining why random evolution cannot account for the complexity of human life, intelligent design advocates often point to the eye. They say that such an intricate organ is not likely to come about by chance, no matter if it had a zillion years to develop. The eye’s sight is not only wonderful, it is also useful. For this reason the blind men in today’s gospel ask Jesus for mercy.

The two men lack physical sight, but they possess faith which is another way of seeing. The men may have heard that Jesus is in the line of David. But this is only a fact of heredity. More significantly, they believe that he is the son of David who will restore the glory of Israel. As Isaiah foretold, he is the one who will open the ears of the deaf, give sight to the blind, and bring release to prisoners. Jesus rewards their faith with a new kind of twenty-twenty vision; that is, they can now see as well with their eyes as they have all along with their souls.

This Advent those of us who see well enough with our eyes might ask Jesus for the enhanced vision which faith gives. We want to see him as the one to save us from all that threatens us. Also, we need faith so that we might never lose sight of everyone's dignity, no matter the person's disability or condition.