Dear Parishioners,
We learn a valuable lesson this week from the Gospel story (Mk 10:46-52). The blind man, Bartimaeus, provides us a model of faith to follow. The Gospel points out that when Jesus called him, he threw aside his cloak, jumped up, and went to his Lord at once. The cloak was the most versatile item of Palestinian clothing at the time. It was protection against the rapid and frequent temperature changes, insulation against the harsh Judean winds, and at night, it doubled as a blanket. The cloak of the blind man symbolizes our own self-sufficiency, those things in our lives that we depend on for our security—the things that can hold us back when we hear God calling. By leaving it behind, Bartimaeus teaches us that our only sufficiency should be Jesus Christ. Our true security is in Him alone. Let us get up, throw off our cloak, and go to Jesus at once when we hear Him calling.
God Bless,
Deacon Howard
