30th Sunday in Ordinary Time (B) 2024

INTRO:

It was an early diagnosis for me that my RIGHT EYE is “lazy.” They called it: amblyopia. People also have other kinds of eye problems that are far worse than lazy eyes and some have PHYSICAL BLINDNESS!

But there is also: SPIRITUAL BLINDNESS that I believe this miracle story of BLIND BARTIMAEUS is revealing to all of us.

Spiritual blindness is revealed in us when we find it difficult to see God’s will,
difficult to appreciate God’s beauty and
difficult to see, know, and believe in the reality of God.

One of CHRIST’S major teachings is knowing that GOD IS WITH US no matter what!

I know some of you may wrestle with that question, even more so these days of increasing troublesome acts of violence, distress, and war:

“Is God really around?”
Or you may know of someone who asks that very question of you.

It is very human to experience wonder and doubt in life. And so, the desire to see, like blind Bartimaeus, must overcome us and strengthen that belief in GOD’S EVERLASTING PRESENCE; God is waking by all the time! God is around. God is in our Eucharistic consecrated bread and wine that we come here for!

The truth is that we get so much “noise” about the senseless acts taking place on the streets, in the schools, throughout the world, and right here in our own city that we get blind and sightless to HIS PRESENCE in our lives and in our world. God is with us always, which was voiced by Jesus as he ascended into heaven.
JESUS taught the world, to FORGIVE.
What did he say on the cross???

He said: Forgive them for they know not what they do.
He taught you and me to allow “things” to happen as He will provide! God will overcome the world!

That is one way how spiritual blindness is purified, healed, and found within us.

CONCLUSION:

Overall, our teaching today is that:
GOD IS WITH US no matter what.

Believe this truth and be like the man born blind and SEE: God is with us no matter what happens! Forgive others. Forgive life.