Daily Readings - Thu May 30 2024
1 Peter
2As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby:3If so be ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious.4To whom coming, as unto a living stone, disallowed indeed of men, but chosen of God, and precious,5Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ.9But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light:10Which in time past were not a people, but are now the people of God: which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy.11Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul;12Having your conversation honest among the Gentiles: that, whereas they speak against you as evildoers, they may by your good works, which they shall behold, glorify God in the day of visitation.
Mark
46And they came to Jericho: and as he went out of Jericho with his disciples and a great number of people, blind Bartimaeus, the son of Timaeus, sat by the highway side begging.47And when he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to cry out, and say, Jesus, thou Son of David, have mercy on me.48And many charged him that he should hold his peace: but he cried the more a great deal, Thou Son of David, have mercy on me.49And Jesus stood still, and commanded him to be called. And they call the blind man, saying unto him, Be of good comfort, rise; he calleth thee.50And he, casting away his garment, rose, and came to Jesus.51And Jesus answered and said unto him, What wilt thou that I should do unto thee? The blind man said unto him, Lord, that I might receive my sight.52And Jesus said unto him, Go thy way; thy faith hath made thee whole. And immediately he received his sight, and followed Jesus in 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.