Daily Readings - Thu May 30 2024
1 Peter
2Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation,3now that you have tasted that the Lord is good.4As you come to him, the living Stone--rejected by men but chosen by God and precious to him--5you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.9But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.10Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.11Dear friends, I urge you, as aliens and strangers in the world, to abstain from sinful desires, which war against your soul.12Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us.
Mark
46Then they came to Jericho. As Jesus and his disciples, together with a large crowd, were leaving the city, a blind man, Bartimaeus (that is, the Son of Timaeus), was sitting by the roadside begging.47When he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to shout, "Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!"48Many rebuked him and told him to be quiet, but he shouted all the more, "Son of David, have mercy on me!"49Jesus stopped and said, "Call him." So they called to the blind man, "Cheer up! On your feet! He's calling you."50Throwing his cloak aside, he jumped to his feet and came to Jesus.51"What do you want me to do for you?" Jesus asked him. The blind man said, "Rabbi, I want to see."52"Go," said Jesus, "your faith has healed you." Immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus along the road.
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.