Wednesday, February 15, 2017
6th Week in Ordinary Time
1st Reading: Gen 8:6-13. 20-22
Gospel: Mk 8:22–26
When Jesus and his disciples came to Bethsaida, Jesus was asked to touch a blind man who was brought to him. He took the blind man by the hand and led him outside the village. When he had put spittle on his eyes and laid his hands upon him, he asked, “Can you see anything?” The man, who was beginning to see, replied, “I see people! They look like trees, but they move around.” Then Jesus laid his hands on his eyes again and the man could see perfectly. His sight was restored and he could see everything clearly.
Then Jesus sent him home saying, “Do not return to the village.”
D@iGITAL-EXPERIENCE
(Daily Gospel in the Assimilated Life Experience)
Today’s Gospel starts the series of readings in Mark describing Jesus’ break from the Galilean ministry to begin his journey to Jerusalem for his Passion. These readings which span until Mark 10:52 focus on Jesus’ efforts to explain to his disciples the meaning of his trip to Jerusalem. The series begins with the healing of a blind man from Bethsaida (Mark 8:22-26) and ends with the healing of another blind man named Bartimaeus (Mark 10:46-52).
The opening story of the blind man from Bethsaida is very rich in meaning. Jesus could have healed the blind man instantly but chose to put spittle on the man’s eyes first before laying his hands upon him. “I see people!” the blind man exclaimed. But he saw them at first like trees, meaning that the restoration of sight was gradual. Jesus had to lay his hands again on the eyes of the blind man to perfect the restoration of sight. This story meaningfully introduces Jesus’ trip to Jerusalem at which he gradually revealed to his apostles the meaning of his Passion.
Jesus was aware that the apostles, though handpicked, were nonetheless slow at spiritual truths and had to be introduced step by step to the meaning of the mysteries. Thus at Caesarea (tomorrow’s Gospel reading), he asked his Apostles the question “Who do you say that I am?” Peter’s correct answer did not pass the test of substance because when Jesus introduced himself as the suffering Messiah, Peter squirmed in disapproval.
The series ends with the story of another blind man named Bartimaeus who followed Jesus after getting back his sight. The significance of this concluding story is obvious: learning the meaning of the mysteries of faith should lead to following Christ at all cost. Let us pray that Jesus too may teach us patiently about matters relating to our salvation and grant us the grace to follow him in return. – Rev. Fr. Dan Domingo P. delos Angeles, Jr., DM. Email: dan.delosangeles@gmail.com. Website: www.frdan.org.
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