Daily Readings - Thu May 30 2024
1 Peter
2Like newborn infants, long for the pure spiritual milk, that by it you may grow up to salvation--3if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is good.4As you come to him, a living stone rejected by men but in the sight of God chosen and precious,5you yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.9But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.10Once you were not a people, but now you are God's people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.11Beloved, I urge you as sojourners and exiles to abstain from the passions of the flesh, which wage war against your soul.12Keep your conduct among the Gentiles honorable, so that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day of visitation.
Mark
46And they came to Jericho. And as he was leaving Jericho with his disciples and a great crowd, Bartimaeus, a blind beggar, the son of Timaeus, was sitting by the roadside.47And when he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to cry out and say, "Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!"48And many rebuked him, telling him to be silent. But he cried out all the more, "Son of David, have mercy on me!"49And Jesus stopped and said, "Call him." And they called the blind man, saying to him, "Take heart. Get up; he is calling you."50And throwing off his cloak, he sprang up and came to Jesus.51And Jesus said to him, "What do you want me to do for you?" And the blind man said to him, "Rabbi, let me recover my sight."52And Jesus said to him, "Go your way; your faith has made you well." And immediately he recovered his sight and followed him on the way.
Sermon
The first reading from 1 Peter reminds us of our identity as followers of Christ. We are called to be like living stones, built upon the foundation of Jesus, forming a spiritual house and a holy priesthood. This passage emphasizes that we are a chosen people, called out of darkness into God’s marvelous light. It urges us to live virtuous lives, abstaining from worldly desires, and to conduct ourselves in such a way that our good works may silence the slander of those who do not understand us. We are to be a people of mercy and grace, reflecting God’s love in all that we do.
The Gospel from Mark tells the story of Bartimaeus, a blind man who cried out to Jesus for healing. Despite the crowds trying to silence him, Bartimaeus persisted in his plea for mercy. Jesus stopped, called him forward, and asked, “What do you want me to do for you?” Bartimaeus’ response was simple: “Master, I want to see.” Jesus, moved by his faith, restored his sight, and Bartimaeus followed him on the way. This passage highlights the power of faith and the importance of perseverance in prayer. It also reminds us that true sight goes beyond the physical; it is the ability to see the world and ourselves through the eyes of faith.
Both readings invite us to reflect on how we see ourselves and our place in the world. In 1 Peter, we are reminded that we are part of a spiritual community, called to live as a holy priesthood. In Mark, Bartimaeus’ story shows us that faith can open our eyes to new possibilities and deepen our relationship with God. Let us ask ourselves: Are we living as the chosen people God has called us to be? Are we using our spiritual sight to see the needs of others and to glorify God in all we do? May we, like Bartimaeus, cry out for healing and may our faith lead us to follow Jesus more closely each day.