Monday 16 November 2020

Today is Monday the 16 November, in the 33rd week of Ordinary Time.

The monks of the Abbey of Keur Moussa sing Aveugle de Coeur: “Blind in heart since my birth, I come to you, Light of the world…. Let me live as a child of light”  As I listen, I ask the Lord to open my eyes to what he wants me to see.  I ask God to shine his light into my life.

One way of praying is to imagine yourself in a scene from the Bible, or in God’s presence, and then taking part in it. It is a way of allowing God to speak to you through your imagination. Today, you will be guided through an imaginative contemplation exercise. So, how do you imagine the scene as you hear today’s reading from the Gospel of Luke?

Lk 18:35-43

As he approached Jericho, a blind man was sitting by the roadside begging. When he heard a crowd going by, he asked what was happening. They told him, ‘Jesus of Nazareth is passing by.’ Then he shouted, ‘Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!’ Those who were in front sternly ordered him to be quiet; but he shouted even more loudly, ‘Son of David, have mercy on me!’ Jesus stood still & ordered the man to be brought to him; & when he came near, he asked him, ‘What do you want me to do for you?’ He said, ‘Lord, let me see again.’ Jesus said to him, ‘Receive your sight; your faith has saved you.’ Immediately he regained his sight & followed him, glorifying God; & all the people, when they saw it, praised God.

Jesus is approaching Jericho with his disciples and a large crowd… Who are you in the scene? A disciple? A member of the crowd? Or perhaps the blind man himself..? What can you hear? The sounds of those around you in the crowd?

What can you see around you as you approach Jericho..? Picture the ground you are walking on… the faces of those around you…

When the blind beggar hears that Jesus is so near, in his pain and suffering he cries out to Jesus. How do you experience this cry? Can you hear it easily over the sound of the crowd?

Some of those following Jesus resent this disturbance and tell the man to be quiet, to suffer in silence… But imagine the moment that the blind man’s cries stop Jesus in his tracks and he tells the crowd to minister to this blind man by calling him over… how does Jesus do this? Notice his gestures… the tone of his voice…

“What do you want me to do for you?” What stirs in you as you hear Jesus ask these words?

“Lord, let me see again…” Watch now as the man receives his sight… imagine the emotion spreading across his face as he realises he has been healed…

The blind man uses his new sight to follow Jesus along the road. The blind man believed in a God who pays attention. Why bother screaming if you believe no one is there to pay attention? The blind man focuses on Jesus and Jesus saw him… Where is your focus today? What do you want Jesus to do for you? Turn your eyes on Jesus now… you might like to talk to him as one friend speaks to another…or you might even want to cry out to him today as the blind man…

Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit. As it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.