Shikrot Mpwi - Sunday Synopsis with Fr. Justine J. Dyikuk
30th Sunday of
the Year, B – October 28, 2018.
Readings: Jer. 31:7-9;
Ps 125:1-6; Hebrews
5:1-6;
Gospel – Mark 10:46-52.
Theme: A Faith That Saves!
Introduction
Friends in Christ,
today the Church gives us another opportunity to reflect on faith. Our
reflection titled “A Faith that Saves” is premised on the message of
restoration and total recovery in the first reading, the assurance of a high
priest who empathizes with us inthe
second reading and the
encounter between Jesus and Bartimaeus the blind beggar in the gospel. To do justice to our homiletic theme, we shall take a look at the
background and summary of the readings, pastoral application
and practical lessons as well as homiletic points to remember.
Background
& Summary of the Readings
In the first reading (Jer. 31:7-9), the Prophet
Jeremiah presents us with the message of hope. He assures that notwithstanding the violence
and traumaJudah suffered as a result of the destruction of Jerusalem and exile
to Babylon, there is hope. His radical articulation of hope becomes a roadmap
for survival. In a classical fashion, the Prophet highlights a glorious
homecoming, stunning restoration and renewed relationships for the people.
Although the “remnant of Israel” namely its survivors experiencedsuffering and
marginality, the Prophet maintains that God would redeem his people from their troubles.
The second from the
Letter to the Hebrews (Heb. 5:1-6) reveals Jesus as the
heavenly High Priest who pleads our course. The first part of the text gives
the definition of who a priest is and the criteria for being a priest while the
second part shows how Christ meets these criteria. It reveals that he offers sacrifices
for his sins and the sins of the community especially on the Day of Atonement
(Yom Kippur) - the annual ritual where the High Priest atones for the sins of
the people (Leviticus 16). The reading presents Jesus as that sinless sympathetic
and empathetic High Priest who shows solidarity with sinners.This is why a
priest ought to identify with sinners because he himself is subject to weakness.
The reading also connects Jesus’ Priesthood to that of Melchizedek.
While the regular Jewish priestswere from the tribe of Levi, Jesus comes from
the tribe of Judah. To strike a balance, it was necessary for the personage Melchizedekto
provide an alternative priesthoodwhich will be basis for the Messiah to be
identified as a High Priest, notwithstanding his Non-Levitical ancestry – this
means that Christ is a priest “forever,” thus revealing Christ's immortal
post-resurrection status which provides a contrast with the mortality of the
Levitical Priests.
The Gospel reading (Mark 10:46-52) discloses the
encounter between Jesus and Bartimaeus in which the blind beggar was healed.
It reveals how the beggar defied the crowd to beg Jesus for healing. The
reading stated that he addressed Christ as, “Son of David, Jesus, have pity on
me.” It notes how Jesus ordered the same crowd who tried to shut him up to call
him. When Jesus asked him what he wanted, he said, he wanted his sight back.
Jesus then commanded and his sight was restored. We are told that he decided to
follow Jesus along the road.
Pastoral
Application & Practical Lessons
1.Restoration: Just
as our first reading spoke about theglorious homecoming, stunning restoration
and renewed relationships for the people of Israel, God is able to restore the
“years eaten by locust” in our lives if we trust him.
