Master, Let Me See Again

Posted on:January 7th, 2016

HOMILY FOR 30TH SUNDAY OF THE YEAR (B) 25^th October, 2015.

SCRIPTURE READING:

1. Jer. 31:7-9

   Ps 126:1-2ab. 2cd-3.4-5.6 (R.3)

2. Hebr. 5:1-6; Accl; 2 Tim. 1:10.
3. MARK 10:46-52

 

INTRODUCTION:

Lord Jesus, I give you my mind, help me understand.

Lord Jesus, I give you my ears, help me hear your voice.

Lord Jesus, I give you my heart, help me welcome you.

Holy Spirit, rekindle in me the fire of your love. Amen.

Dear friends, one question that feels my mind is the fact that so many times we come into the presence of the Lord with a great desire to receive from the Lord some answers to problems or situation that overwhelm us but often times this answers do not come. We simply go back the same we came. The question is, why? The answer simply rests in the fact that we do not ask the right question or possesses the right intention and pray rightly. We often say we have prayed, held a fast, booked mass, asked the priest to lay hands on us, visited the Blessed Sacrament, involved so many people in praying for us and join us in prayers, we have even gone to many prayer houses to pour out our needs and desperations to God but we go back with the same old story. We often come brass (empty and with a lack of faith) what could be the reason? It borders on the fact that we are not specific in what we want from the Lord.

We come into his presence with so many intentions, with so many needs but the truth simply rests in the fact that we only need one to be answered and it must be the urgent one. The question then is how do we identify the most important of our needs? This is what we are going to talk about at this mass.

The story of Bartimaeus presents the picture of a man who actually knew what he needs from the Lord. His blindness is a picture of the blindness, darkness, and needs of a world that dwells in desperation for help. (A picture painted in the first reading). The need may be physical, mental, emotional, or spiritual; it may be some problem with the mind, some desperate loneliness, hurts and bitterness, confusion, fear, disillusionment, frustrations, disappointments or some tragic event and sin in your life at this time and you are in so much need to get some answers from the Lord. Today, I declare that the Lord will meet you at the point of your need in the mighty name of Jesus. Amen.

To know what one lacks and seek to get it corrected is a display of wisdom and wisdom provides us with the vision to locate the area that needs some redress in our life. That is what the story of Bartimaeus offers us-it offers us some insight on how we can receive something from the Lord such includes; (a.) believing the reports about Jesus, (b.) acknowledging personal need, (c.) persisting, persevering after Jesus, (d.) eagerly expecting to receive Jesus’ help, (e.) requesting precisely what is needed, (f.) following Jesus.

Vision dear friends is very necessary in any pursuit of life whether spiritual or physical because “Vision is the source and hope of life. The greatest gift ever given to mankind is not the gift of sight, but the gift of vision.”

Sight is on the one hand, a function of the eyes; we use it to locate things that have been kept by us and others, to discover the path to follow or drive along in the day and also with the aid of light at night. On the other hand, “vision is a function of the heart.” Eyes that look are common, but eyes that see are rare. Nothing noble or noteworthy on earth was ever done without vision. No invention, development, or great feat was ever accomplished without the inspiring power of this mysterious source called vision.

Vision is a powerful tool and the key to unlocking the gates of what is, propelling us into the land of what could be, and has not yet been. Vision sets you free from the limitations of what the eyes can see and allows you to enter into the liberty of what your heart can feel. It is vision that makes the unseen visible and the unknown possible and known. Vision also makes suffering and disappointments bearable because you know the end of suffering is near and the result is joy. Vision generates hope in the midst of despair and provides endurance in tribulation. Vision inspires the depressed and motivates the discouraged. Without vision dear friends, brothers and sisters, life would be a study in cyclic frustration without a whirl wind in despair. Vision dear friends, is the foundation of courage and the fuel of persistence. Vision is the key to unity, the magnet for commitment, and the motivational stimulus for personal and spiritual as well as corporate discipline. When you are endowed with a vision, you don’t need to be jealous of anybody’s success because you are sure of the road to take and the vision you have gives you true satisfaction. When you are endowed with vision, it is a call to be selfless in your service because it is what will benefit not only you but the generality of men and the kingdom of God.

Vision helps you in various ways;

1. Discover your purpose in life.
2. Understand why vision is essential to your success.
3. Grasp the keys necessary for fulfilling your life’s dream.
4. Develop a specific plan for achieving your vision.
5. Overcome obstacles to your vision.

Dear friends you must know that your success in life is not dependent on the state of the economy, what the job market is like or what people feel and say about you. NO!!! Your success in life is not dependent on it but on the fact that you have a vision that has been endowed upon you to change your destiny like Bartimaeus forever. It is the Lord that makes this vision sure.

There are two types of vision in life

1. Intellectual Vision:

It was vision that inspired the first biblical civilization established by the great hunter Nimrod. Vision produced the great Egyptian civilization over four thousand years ago and gave rise to the towering pyramids that still amaze us today that are doted in so many strategic places in Egypt. Vision inspired the Greeks to produce philosophy and art that still impact the thinking of our world. Vision motivated the great Roman Empire to expand its influence and colonize the known world. Vision inspired the explorers who circumvented the globe and ignited the creation and expansion of many of the nations that we know today. Vision transformed the agricultural world into the industrial age. Vision gave birth to the thousands of inventions in the last two centuries that have transformed our lives. It was the vision of flight that inspired the Wright brothers to invent the airplane. It was the vision of light that possessed Thomas Edison to invent the light bulb. It was the vision of a desk-sized computer that motivated Stephen Jobs to invent the apple products. It was the vision of giving every person access to people-friendly software that inspired Bill Gates to develop and invent the Microsoft global empire. It was the vision of giving everyone the ease to pass out waste from the body that made the British nobleman Sir John Harrington first engineered and invented a value that could release water from the water closet (WC) when pulled.

Dear friends, vision is the energy of progress. We must constantly ask for it so as to make great progress both in our physical and spiritual life.

2. Spiritual Vision:

This requires a total connection with God. This kind of vision is the only vision that would bring you fulfillment in life. The wise king of Israel, Solomon stated in his book of proverbs 29:18 KJV that “where there is no vision, the people perish.” In the book of Sirach 16:4 GNEWS version says “a city’s population may grow because of the wisdom of one person, while a whole tribe of lawless people disappear.” The power of vision made Bartimaeus recognize that something great was happening because somebody great was on the move. The light of the world was on the move as John 8:12. He came to the realization that he walk in the light of the Lord will not be walking in darkness. He came to the realization as the word of God says in John 8:36 “if the son of man sets you, you are indeed.”

Scripture tells us that Jesus has been in Jericho for some time. In the days of Jesus, Jericho was one of the most important cities of Palestine. One of the world’s main commercial roads ran right through the city, north to the south. The city was only about seventeen miles from Jerusalem, and it is thought to be the oldest city in the world.

It was the Passover season, which means that thousands of pilgrims were making their way to Jerusalem. The Pilgrims were passing right through Jericho. Bartimaeus knew this, and he also knew that religious people were more sensitive to the needs of helpless people who had to beg for a living. It is also possible that Bartimaeus had heard that Jesus was in Jericho. If so, he knew that his best chance to find Jesus would be to station himself at the city limits where Jesus would be passing as he left the city. Whatever the case Bartimaeus had to beg for a living, so he “was sitting by the main roadside…begging.”

Belief:

Dear friends the first step to getting help from God is to believe the reports about Jesus. While Bartimaeus sat there, he heard all kinds of noises coming from the people passing by-the noise of individuals, of groups, of whole caravans. He heard the noise of feet tramping along, of animals, of conversations, of laughter, of play among children. He heard all kinds of talking: serious, jovial, commercial, vain, rude, off-coloured, religious and the gossips. But then something happened: the size of the crowd and the noise and talk changed. The passers-by became a throng, a crowd of people; and the noise and talk were about Jesus, the One for whom he had hoped and longed.

Bartimaeus had been blind for years, maybe for life, with no hope of ever seeing. Apparently he was a beggar with no one to care for him. But then the most glorious event of his life happened. He heard about one called Jesus of Nazareth who was claiming to be the true Messiah. For the first time in his life, hope swelled up in him. He knew there was a possibility that he might be healed and enabled to see. From the very first day that he had heard about Jesus, he had hoped and longed for the chance when Jesus might pass by. Because he believed the testimonies about Jesus.

Decision making:

The second step to getting help is acknowledging personal need- a definite, a precise, a concise, a direct need. As soon as Bartimaeus heard that it was Jesus, he instantly began shouting out to attract Jesus, creating as much awareness, noise and fuss as he could above the crowd and its noise.

The point is this: Bartimaeus acknowledged his need, and he confessed it publicly. He did not approach Jesus secretly or quietly by asking someone close by to appeal to Jesus in his behalf. He had a desperate need and he accepted the fact. He wanted the help of Jesus no matter what.

He shouted to the “Son of David.” This was because he was in dire need to receive the power of vision from the Lord. By using the term “Son of David”, which is found in all 3 synoptic, he meant “prophet” or “wonder worker,” that he may come to his aid. In fact he used what knowledge he had of Jesus and shouted to Him.

He shouted for mercy, not for anything else. He was blind and he was a beggar, yet he did not cry for housing or clothing or food. He cried for his most basic need to be met-for mercy. I do not want to remain this way, save me.

Persistence:

The third step to getting help is persisting and persevering after Jesus. Many among the crowd tried to hush Bartimaeus, but he was a desperate and determined and in dead earnest. He would not be discouraged, silenced or stopped. He repeatedly cried to the top of his lungs: “Son of David, have mercy on me.”

The point is that Bartimaeus persevered. He had need, and he would not stop seeking to have his need met. Despite the crowd trying to silence him, his faith in Jesus was strong. He believed Jesus could really help him. His faith stood against all the voices of discouragement and against the feelings of so many that it was useless. We must know that the
world will raise voices against us, attempting to pull us away, to tell us all is useless, to convince us that our need is too desperate to be met, to encourage us to try the world’s way.

Bartimaeus never allowed the worldly shun deter him from his goal. His persistence sharpened his faith, it increased his faith. It brought him to grow in greater awareness of his mind and helped him focus on his real need. His perseverance help him to pray and to seek God more. It created the awareness of his helplessness and need for the presence of God and his help. It brought about fellowship and communion with God. His perseverance brought God to him when Jesus said call him-he had to caste off the garment of shame and disgrace, the garment of setback, the garment of humiliation, the garment of hindrances and quickly approached the master Jesus in order to be vested with the garment of honour and the garment of a new beginning-in this month this shall be your story in the name of Jesus.

Confession of need and conversion:

In getting our prayer intentions answered there must be that precision in our asking. Bartimaeus was precise in his intention, he knew exactly what he needed and had no difficulty stating his need. He did not waver at all. He was not like many who are vague in their prayers and requests. He had examined himself and knew precisely what he needed-Lord that I may See. Matt. 21:22 said “if you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayers.” John 16:24 says “until now you have not asked for anything in my name. Ask and you will receive, and your joy will be complete.” Isaiah 65:24 says “before they call I will answer; while they are still speaking I will hear.” Jer. 33:3 “call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know.”

You know dear friends when the lord endows you with vision he makes you able to be direct in your endeavours, he provides you with a vision that will unlock supernatural blessings and power unto you that was the case with Bartimaeus.

Dear friends, Bartimaeus needed to make a personal confession to Jesus. Jesus, of course, knew what Bartimaeus needed; but the Lord’s knowing about the man’s need was not enough. The man Bartimaeus had to make a personal confession to Jesus.

Bartimaeus needed to confess his faith in Jesus’ power for the sake of the others standing there. They needed to know that it was faith in Jesus that saved him.

Bartimaeus’ specific request got a specific answer-your faith has healed you.

Discipleship-following Jesus:

In getting our prayers answered, it requires following Jesus. Jesus had told Bartimaeus “GO,” but Bartimaeus did not go, not after his master and Lord had touched him. Bartimaeus clung to Jesus and not allowing anything to take him away from following Jesus and the vision he had gained. Now this tells us about (1.) there is a heart of appreciation, of being grateful and thankful, (2.) there is the idea of genuineness of conversion in following Jesus, (3.) there is the idea of growing, wanting to learn more and more about Jesus, (4.) there is the testimony of loyalty and faithfulness.

Dear friends, many of us really want to be like Bartimaeus and even when we have received this healing or answers to our prayers, we suddenly loose it because we don’t have a vital connection with God. The one million dollar question is what actually rubs us of that true joy and followership with Jesus and gaining a perfect vision from the Lord??? They are distractions and distractions can cause us a lot and that is to be denied of that which is our very own. Bartimaeus cried out from the inner most part of his heart and called on the name of Jesus as that which saves and restores to restore to him his sight. He had been seeing but lost his sight, he lost his vision, he had lost that which was precious to him and he needed to be restored, to be reconnected with God so that his purpose in life will be restored.

Humankind as a whole lost its relationship with the creator when we turned our backs on God and tried to pursue our own ways. God’s purpose, however, never changes, and since his purpose is woven into our desires, our own ways is never ultimately satisfying. Beloved in Christ, I want you to know that God is committed to your purpose and because he is committed to your purpose he will never abandon you just as he didn’t abandon Bartimaeus in his plight but came to his rescue. He restored Bartimaeus so that Bartimaeus may rise and do the works he had in mind for him before the world began so also I declare to you that God will never abandon you to your predicament but shall restore you to you original position in the mighty name of Jesus!!!

Friends I want you to know that you were redeemed to fulfill your earthly visions. Tonight is the beginning of a new beginning for you in the name of Jesus. Amen!!! You will at this time rise and call on the name of the Lord that he may bestow upon you that special grace and strength, he may restore to you what you have lost because he is the surest king who is more than able to do exceedingly great things in our lives.

If you ever want to regain your vision, you must be ready to let go of all those useless associations and friendships, habits, vice, those ungodly movies and magazines you have in your custody and surrender them to Jesus so that he may grant you the grace to regain that which you have lost through carelessness, laziness, and reckless living, he who more than able will grant a vision that would change your life for the better.

Dear friends I don’t know what intention you have come here with, but God is more than able to purify those intentions and bestow upon you great things that you have dreamt of. I don’t know what your dreams are? What you imagine yourself doing in the nearest future? What you hope to accomplish in the shortest time? Are you doing what you really want to do with your life? Maybe you once had ideas of what you wanted to be and do, and you still have those ideas. Do you see yourself becoming a lawyer and starting your own firm? Do you dream of owing a successful boutique where people are waiting on queue to buy the latest fashion in town that you have designed? Do you think about owing a day-care center that has a first-class curriculum and services over 100children? Do you want to write a book, novel, magazine? Do you imagine yourself owing a prosperous business and being able to give more money in charity both to the church and people that under privileged? Do you dream about going back to school and doing something with your education and academic abilities? Tonight is a night to declare I don’t want to be stagnant I want to make progress lord! I want to be able to fulfill my dreams!! I want to be where I am supposed to be Lord!!! tonight I declare that the lord shall bestow upon the power of vision and the will to be what you want to be and where you hope to be in the name of Jesus. I declare you will not be a wanderer but you shall arrive safely to your desired destination in the name of Jesus.amen

For He is the seed of the woman.

He is the Passover lamb.

He is the pillar of cloud by day and the pillar of fire by night.

He is the high priest.

He is the city of refuge.

He is Scaleb’s thread.

He is the great deliverer.

He is the heavenly kinsman.

He is the trusted prophet.

He is the promised Sovereign, the promised king.

He is the record keeper.

He is the faithful scribe.

He is the great builder.

He is the suffering servant.

He is the true Judge.

He is the great advocate.

He is the mighty warrior.

He is all in all.

He is the great pattern.

He is the answer to every situation.

He is the rose of Sharon and the lily of the valley.

He is the heavenly counselor.

He is the guide of life.

He is the prince of peace, he is the whipping prophet.

His mercies are ever new, scripture says the steadfast love of the Lord has no end for they are new every morning.

He is the justice of the world.

He is the breathe of God’s spirit-he breathes upon dead situations and they begin to live again.

He is the 4^th man in the fire.

He is the lover who is ever faithful.

He is the baptizer,

He is our burden bearer.

He is the savior of the world.

He is the foreign missionary.

He is the messenger with beautiful feet.

He is the avenger.

He is the watchman.

He is the Lord God Almighty.

He is the restorer of our lost heritage.

He is the fountain of life.

He is the son of righteousness

He is the lion of the tribe of Judah.

He is the miracle worker.

He is the son of man and the great physician.

He is the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world.

He is the shining light.

He is the justifier.

He is the resurrection and the life.

He is our sin bearer.

He is the unsearchable riches of God.

He is the Holy One of Israel

He is the hope of our glory.

He is our sanctification.

He is the pastor of our soul.

He is the appearance of God’s glory.

He is the new covenant.

He is the faithful one.

He is the chief shepherd.

He is our fellowship.

He is our unconditional lover.

He is the Lord of Lords and the King of Kings.

He is the path finder, he is my Ebenezer, he is the immortal God, he is the invisible and he is the Holy wise and true God. He is greater than the greatest, better than the best, mightier than the mightiest, stronger than the strongest, he is almighty, the ancient of days, the fountain of life, he is better than the best, higher than the highest, wiser than the wisest. The supreme God, unchangeable- changer.