First reading 1 Peter 2:2-5,9-12
You are a royal priesthood, a people set apart
You are new born, and, like babies, you should be hungry for nothing but milk – the spiritual honesty which will help you to grow up to salvation – now that you have tasted the goodness of the Lord.
He is the living stone, rejected by men but chosen by God and precious to him; set yourselves close to him so that you too, the holy priesthood that offers the spiritual sacrifices which Jesus Christ has made acceptable to God, may be living stones making a spiritual house. But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a consecrated nation, a people set apart to sing the praises of God who called you out of the darkness into his wonderful light. Once you were not a people at all and now you are the People of God; once you were outside the mercy and now you have been given mercy.
I urge you, my dear people, while you are visitors and pilgrims to keep yourselves free from the selfish passions that attack the soul. Always behave honourably among pagans so that they can see your good works for themselves and, when the day of reckoning comes, give thanks to God for the things which now make them denounce you as criminals.
Responsorial Psalm 99(100):2-5
Come before the Lord, singing for joy.
Cry out to the Lord, all the earth.
Serve the Lord with gladness.
Come before him, singing for joy.
Know that he, the Lord, is God.
He made us, we belong to him,
we are his people, the sheep of his flock.
Go within his gates, giving thanks.
Enter his courts with songs of praise.
Give thanks to him and bless his name.
Indeed, how good is the Lord,
eternal his merciful love.
He is faithful from age to age.
Gospel Mark 10:46-52
Go; your faith has saved you
As Jesus left Jericho with his disciples and a large crowd, Bartimaeus (that is, the son of Timaeus), a blind beggar, was sitting at the side of the road. When he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to shout and to say, ‘Son of David, Jesus, have pity on me.’ And many of them scolded him and told him to keep quiet, but he only shouted all the louder, ‘Son of David, have pity on me.’ Jesus stopped and said, ‘Call him here.’ So they called the blind man. ‘Courage,’ they said ‘get up; he is calling you.’ So throwing off his cloak, he jumped up and went to Jesus. Then Jesus spoke, ‘What do you want me to do for you?’ ‘Rabbuni,’ the blind man said to him ‘Master, let me see again.’ Jesus said to him, ‘Go; your faith has saved you.’ And immediately his sight returned and he followed him along the road.
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From beggar to disciple
The Gospel passage today presents Bartimaeus, a blind beggar whose persistent cries for mercy break through the crowd and reach Jesus. When Jesus invites Bartimaeus to come to Him, Bartimaeus throws off his cloak, approaches Jesus, receives sight, and follows Him on the way, thus joining in the journey of discipleship. As we reflect on this passage, let us recognise that transformation begins with an encounter: being seen and loved by Jesus and responding with trust by following Him.
Each authentic encounter with Jesus changes us by reorienting our values, redirecting our lives, and reshaping our relationships. Like Bartimaeus, let us cry out with honest need for Jesus, be ready to cast off what holds us back, and step into the journey of discipleship.
Reflective question:
In what ways has an encounter with Jesus changed how I live or how I relate to others?
Acknowledgment: Reflections are based on “Prayer for Living: The Word of God for Daily Prayer Year A” by Sr Maria Jose FMVD
