BE A SON OR DAUGHTER OF ENCOURAGEMENT
The mission of God (Missio Dei) is the encouragement of God to us to be good on earth as followers of his Son Jesus Christ. The Christian life calls to be an encouragement to one another at all times. This is the mission entrusted to us by Christ himself.
The mission is to heal, teach, preach encouragement to others, and lead them back to friendship with God. A Christian missionary encourages his brothers and sisters to lead good lives. The best testimony of faith and witness is to uplift others, especially in their weaknesses and failures.
Therefore, the Christians witnesses as missionaries in the world are to encourage others. That is, they are to make the people see the goodness, love and mercy of God. It is not up to them to take the place of God in judging and condemning the people.
Whether we are members of the ministerial priesthood or the common priesthood of Christ. We are called into the missionary life of the Church, which is the continuation of the mission of God. Being a priest by baptism or ordination makes us the source of encouragement to others who struggle with human weakness.
ENCOURAGEMENT OF OTHERS IS THE MISSION OF CHRIST TO THE CHURCH
In life, we must learn to be the encouragement that lifts others from their failures or struggles. We must never be the source of discouragement to them in their already downcasted life.
Being the source of encouragement to others is the nature of Christ. In other words, the salvific message in the gospel lies in the upliftment of sinners to become good men and women. This is what makes Christ stands out from other religious leaders before and after him. Christ nature is empathetic and sympathetic to all whom he met in life.
To the sinners, he has shown them the compassionate and merciful face of God. He was lovely, patient, compassionate to them, but intolerable towards their sins. For Christ, Christianity is a religion of guilty-bound or sins accusations.
A MISSIONARY IS AN EMPATHETIC PERSON
Christianity, for Christ, is a spirituality of the consciousness of God and the translation of that godliness to lovely thoughts, kind words and considerable actions towards others.
The gospel is our ability to connect, feel or relate empathetically to others in human or spiritual conditions. The gospel of Christ must never be anything other than the compassionate relation of bringing sinners in contact with the grace, mercy and love of God.
Therefore, a Christian must be like Christ in his relationship with others from an empathetic standpoint. He should be accusative or condemning in thoughts, words or actions towards a perceived “sinners” or a struggling person with grace.
OUR THEME
The readings of this Sunday as we celebrate Mission Sunday remind us of the essence of mission. That is, the ability to reach out to others and encourage them.
The principal theme of the readings of this Sunday is that we are all missionaries, prophets, priests, and teachers who are called to be encouragement unto others in their failures and struggles.
For us to be empathetic people truly, we need to live within our humanity. This means we struggle with human weaknesses to help others experiencing the same human frailties.
A truthful and honest Christian knows he has human weaknesses. One with is struggling with frailties. The fact is that it is only a person capable of connecting, relating, or feeling for others. It is such a person who can reach out, help and touch their lives. empathetically or sympathetically
The prophets, priests or teachers live within the vulnerability of humans. They are not super-beings or supermen. They are ordinary people like everyone else called and chosen by God despite their weaknesses.
Their weaknesses are not supposed to lead to shame or guilt. They are their strength to feel, connect or relate to those who struggle with the same kind of weaknesses.
The super image of priests as supermen is craftiness and untrue. It is also a distortive image that makes the priests demi-gods or supermen above errors and failures. This does put them outside grace. It gives them immunity to becoming spiritual beasts that hurt insensitively. They see themselves above the laws because they are extraordinary human beings.
The truth is that a super or extraordinary human priest or pastor is incapable of feeling, connecting or relating with what sinners are going through. They are also incapable of feeling the difficulties, failures, problems and sufferings ordinary humans face daily in life.
FIRST READING: JEREMIAH 31:7-9
The God of Israel is not only a historical God. He is also a God who knows the personal and communal struggles of his people as a nation. Although, Jeremiah is one of the prophets who suffers most in Israel. God offers encouragement, consolation and comfort to his distressed people through him.
The Lord declares himself to be the Father of Israel. A Father God who will deliver and bring back the exiled people of Israel. He will heal their sicknesses. He will strengthen and comfort them in their sufferings and pain.
Equally, he will also restore their lack with superabundance. God will make safe their path to freedom or liberation. Above all, he will be a lovely Father to his people, and they will be trustworthy children of his.
In the real sense, this reading taken from the Prophecy of Jeremiah tells us of the small number of people, “the remnant of Israel,” who had survived the 721 BC Assyrian captivity. Jeremiah encourages his exiled fellow Jews with the promise of a homecoming full of joy and healing.
Concisely, the words of the prophet Jeremiah was not one of doom and condemnation. Something characteristic of Jeremiah as the prophet of doom. Instead, his words offer encouragement to the depicted people of Israel in their sins and failures.
PSALM 126
The responsorial of Psalm 126 encourages us to recount the goodness of the Lord: the Lord has done great things for us, and let us be filled with joy. Even though it was a psalm song composed by Israelites in their history of shame and agony in exile.
The exiled nation of Israel with Psalm 126 expresses their redemption, joy, and gratitude to God, who saves them from captivity and disgrace.
It was likely written upon the return of the Israelites from Babylonian captivity. In the view of many biblical scholars, the psalm was written either by Ezra. The high priest who led the nation of Israel at that moment in history. Or by one of the Jewish prophets.
Therefore, Psalm 126 is a community song of encouragement, trust or confidence. That skillfully employs metaphor to proclaim God as the one who brings joy out of sorrow, laughter out of tears, and the good out of evil.
This is the missionary task of the Christ to the Christian Church and us to bring others out of sins, evils, sorrows, failures and discouragements.
SECOND READING: HEBREWS 5:1-6
The theme of Christ priesthood continues in the second reading on this Mission Sunday. The priest of Christ that offers us both his divinity and humanity as a High Priest is capable of encouraging us. Having been through all things we are going through in life except sin.
Like Melchizedek, Jesus is a priest forever. He is our peace, source of mercy and grace. And above all, Christ is our mediator with God. The reading of today presents us with the doctrine of the High Priesthood of Jesus Christ. This passage sets out three essential qualifications of the priest in any age and any generation.
WHO IS A PRIEST IN THE COMMUNITY OF MEN?
First, a priest is appointed to mediate between men and deal with the things concerning God. The priest is the link between God and man. In Israel, the priest had one unique function, to offer sacrifice for his sins and that of the sins of his people.
Sin disturbs the relationship which should exist between man and God and puts up a barrier between them. The sacrifice is meant to restore that relationship and remove that barrier (Lev.4:2, Lev.4:13, Num.15:22-31).
So, then, the priest existed to open the way for the sinner back to God–so long as he wanted to come back.
Second, the priest must be one with men. He must have gone through the experiences of men. Hence, he is capable of sympathy with them in their struggles and failures. The empathetic nature of the priest must make him connect, relate and feel patiently and gently with others.
The third essential of a priest is this no-man appoints himself to the priesthood; his appointment is of God. The priesthood is not an office, which a man takes, creates or makes by himself. It is a privilege and glory to which he is called to act the behalf of God. As a dispenser of the grace, goodness and mercy of God.
The ministry of God among men is neither a job nor a career. It is a calling. A vocation to encourage, animate and live for others. A priest ought to be able to look back and say, “I do not choose this work”, but “God chose me and gave me this work to do.”
THE IMAGE OF CHRIST PRIESTLY LIFE THROUGH OUR MINISTERIAL AND COMMON PRIESTHOOD
- The high priest is someone chosen among men charged with the responsibility of mediating between men and God. He is one of them who offers gifts and sacrifices for sins on their behalf. A mediator such as Christ whose main task is to reconcile them with God.
- The Mystery of the Incarnation makes Christ one of us. And through the Mystery of Easter, he reconciles us to God through the perfect sacrifice. A priest today is a man called and chosen by God to identify with his brothers and sisters. As well as be a source of encouraging them to live godly lives.
- Empathetically, Christ ability to be patient, understanding, and gentle with sinners and ignorant was due to his identification with their humanness through the Incarnation. However, he was sinless; he sacrificed his life for our sins.
- A priest is a man with witnesses even though chosen by God. His own weaknesses should not only make him humble but also capable of patience, understanding and gentleness with sinners.
- Yes, Christ offers one supreme sacrifice once and forever for us sinners. The priest configures in the image of Christ at every liturgical sacramental celebration re-enacts these sacrifices for the sins of himself and his brothers and sisters.
- A clear sign that his priesthood, though it is of Christ. He lives within weaknesses and sinfulness. He is a mere mortal who falls like everyone else. In addition, he is not a saint or an angel. The admittance of this fact will help the priest to be humble. Equally, the priest is conscious of human limitations. The humanity and struggle of a priest make him empathetic with others their weaknesses.
- Christ messianic call to offer his life for all was a privilege or honour granted him by God the Father. It was not a self-imposed honour or glory. Thus, he always asked for the Will of the Father to be done and his.
- No mortal priest is worthy to act in “Persona Christi”. The priestly life is a life of unmerited favour, honour and grace. No matter the holiness, intelligence, privilege of a priest, it is all grace and nothing but grace.
In all, the priest is a son of encouragement. He should be always and everywhere a person, teacher and minister who encourages others. This is the priestly mission of Melchizedek to Abraham when he answers the call of God. A life mission that demands of him to leave his comfort zone into the unknown destiny.
Encouragement to seek and do the Will of God is the Mission of Christ to all people of every age. It is also the mission he left us: the community Christian encouraging each other and everyone.
THE GOSPEL: MARK 10:46-52
The drama and the encounter of Jesus with Bartimaeus, son of Timaeus, teach us many about Christ. It is a scene where the blind beggar, who was sitting by the roadside to Jericho. He had a lifetime opportunity to present himself and his situation to Christ. Jesus Christ, the teacher and miracle worker, was passing by his way, and no one or nothing could detain him from reaching him.
Bartimaeus did not only recognise the messianic kingship of Christ related to King David. He has an indomitable faith in him, which no person or obstacle could overcome. Amidst challenges and obstacles, he shouted “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!”
Jesus heard the desperation of the Bartimaeus and encouraged called him to approach him with trust and confidence. The people saw him as a nuisance and tried to quieten him. Eventually, they are the ones who courage to get closer to the waiting Christ who beckons at him.
Enthusiastically, he reached out to Christ, who asked him, “What do you want me to do for you?” encouragingly. Without missing or gabbling words, Bartimaeus simply said, “My teacher, let me see again.”
Jesus heard the prayer of a blind man and gave him back his sight based on his trusting and overcoming faith. Bartimaeus regain his sight of seeing, and his first line of action is to follow Christ unreservedly.
BARTIMAEUS EXPERIENCE IS OUR FAITH EXPERIENCE
Mark sets for us a scene within the context of pilgrimage to Jerusalem, for the Jewish Passover feast, which every Jewish male of twelve years age must go. Jesus is passing through Jericho with is about 15 miles away from Jerusalem. It was a busy road with many pilgrims. Probably too many roadside traders and onlookers were cheering the eligible pilgrims wishing them of the pilgrimage journey.
Jesus, a distinguished Rabbi or teacher, was on the busy road to the Passover in Jerusalem. As it was his custom, a crowd of people, disciples and learners surrounded him. They listened to him as he discoursed while he walked. That was one of the most common ways of teaching.
At the northern gate sat a blind beggar called Bartimaeus. He heard the tramp of feet and asked what was happening and who was passing. He was told that it was Jesus. There and then, he set up an uproar to attract the attention of Jesus to him.
However, the people listening to the teaching of Jesus, the uproar was an offence. They tried to silence Bartimaeus. For them, his relentless shouting was a disturbance.
Jericho is home to many priestly or Levitical classes. For them, the invocation and attribution of the Davidic sonship to Christ as an outlaw to the faith and tradition was a blasphemy that must be shut down. If true, there would be many cold, bleak, and hostile eyes in the crowd that day against this innocent but desperate blind beggar.
Although, Bartimaeus would not let anyone take away from him his chance to escape from his world of darkness. Hence, he cried out with such violence and importunity that the procession stopped, and he was brought to Jesus.
CONDITIONS FOR A MIRACULOUS ENCOUNTER WITH CHRIST
There is the sheer persistence or insistence in the prayer of Bartimaeus. Clear evidence of an indomitable faith that nothing could stop.
- For Bartimaeus, there was not just a nebulous, wistful, sentimental wish to see Jesus. It was a desperate desire born out of conviction to get his healing.
- His response to the call of Jesus was immediate and eager. So eager that he cast off his hindering cloak to run to Jesus the more quickly. Certain chances in life happen only once. Bartimaeus instinctively knew that and took advantage of it.
- Precisely, he knew what he wanted from Christ: his sight. Being vague in prayer is one of the tragedies of religious rites or rituals.
- The fact is that when we go to the doctor, we want him to deal with some particular situation. When we go to the dentist, we do not ask him to extract any tooth but the diseased one. It should be so with Jesus and us, no ambiguity of words over our predicament, just a simple request.
- Bartimaeus had quite an inadequate conception of Jesus. Son of David, he insisted on calling him. Despite the inadequacy of the theology of Bartimaeus, he had faith in Christ Jesus. and faith made up a hundredfold for the
- Christianity begins with a personal faith reaction to Jesus. Even if the Christian has no theological or liturgical knowledge of the person of Christ. It is enough faith to believe in his heart.
- In the end, there is a lovely touch of Jesus on Bartimaeus. Bartimaeus may have been a beggar by the wayside, but he was a man of gratitude. Having received his sight, he followed Jesus. He did not selfishly go on his way when his need was met.
- He began with need, went on to gratitude, and finished with loyalty to Christ. That is a perfect summary of the stages of discipleship and commitment to God.
FUNDAMENTAL QUESTIONS
- How encouraging are your thoughts, words and actions to others? Do you serve as an encouragement to others? Or do you represent discouragement or killer of any living spirit to their struggling or failures?
- What is your image of a priest? A supernatural being above sins, errors or failures? A mortal being with struggling weaknesses like everyone else? A man who is a human being first and then a Christian before been called or chosen by God to mediate between Him and men?
- Are you the voice of discouragement that quietens the desperate and struggling soul? Or are you the empathetic voice that uplifts the struggling souls despite their weaknesses and failures?
- Are there problems in our lives that do not have a solution? Is there seemingly hopelessness in the context of your daily living? Are there sins, failures and diseases in your life?
- Do you know coming to Jesus and telling him what is wrong is all you need to do? Are you the persistent soul that will cry out uncontrollable until you are heard? Or do you allow yourself to be quieted or discouraged by others?
THE MAIN POINTS OF THIS DAY REFLECTION
In summary, the readings of this Mission Sunday invite us to be hope, consolation and encouragement to others. The Mission of Christ to us is not one of silence or indifference to the weaknesses and struggles of others. It is the courage to uplift others to grace, mercy and cheer up a struggling soul despite their sins and failures in life.
The readings of today did invite us to be unto our struggling brothers and sisters. Jeremiah offers comforts to Israel amidst their sorrows and pains of failures. The high priest whose calling is to mediate between them and God with empathetic patience and gentleness with sinners amidst their sins and failures.
Finally, we are challenged to be like Christ, the empathetic teacher and healer that stopped and called Bartimaeus to approach Him with faith and trust. With encouragement, allow him to ask what he wanted of Him. Thus receiving the healing of his sight.
OUR PRAYER
Lord Jesus Christ, we live in a world where many people struggle with the darkness of sins and failures inside and around them. We are battling with sins, failures, weaknesses and diseases in our lives. And there are many discouraging or condemning voices and eyes that weigh us down instead of uplifting us. Help us to be the voice of hope, consolation and encouragement. Especially those who have failed or struggling with weaknesses or failures in their lives. Amen
