Fast And Furious

I thought I might go a little outside the box in my reflection today since I have recently written on this same gospel (January 20). I wanted to go with a play on the word “fast.” I know it technically refers to giving up stuff, or abstaining from this or that, or sacrificing things that we enjoy to remind us to be penitent, etc. What if I want to change the meaning of fast from abstaining to hasty/speedy/impulsive/quick/sudden? “Why do we and the Pharisees fast much, but your disciples do not fast?” Translated with my change in meaning: Why do we and the Pharisees do everything hastily/speedily/impulsively/quickly/suddenly (a lot), but your disciples do everything unhurriedly/slowly/deliberately/gradually? Jesus responds that His followers don’t need to fast as long as He is with them, and if I go with my out of the box interpretation, Jesus reminds us that when we are in His presence, let’s just slow down, relax, and be intentional with our time. There is no need to go fast or be impulsive when we are with Jesus because He is exactly what we would be moving fast toward so when we reach Him…stop and be. 

I’ve decided to do a “stop and be” Lent this year. I’m not really giving up or adding something to my life, but rather I am slowing down, resting, and being in the presence of Jesus. This is not as easy as it sounds. I must choose the peace that transcends human understanding and that kind of peace is really hard to find in a crazy, busy, and fast world. I must think outside the box of what the world tells me and even what “religion” tells me and I must be who I have been called to be. The only way to be that which I am called is to spend time with the one that created me. God speaks in whispers and so we must slow all the way down to hear those whispers. Life is so fast and furious these days, but Jesus reminds us to put the breaks on and cherish time in His presence. It is well with my soul.

Reading 1 IS 58:1-9A

Thus says the Lord GOD:
Cry out full-throated and unsparingly,
lift up your voice like a trumpet blast;
Tell my people their wickedness,
and the house of Jacob their sins.
They seek me day after day,
and desire to know my ways,
Like a nation that has done what is just
and not abandoned the law of their God;
They ask me to declare what is due them,
pleased to gain access to God.
“Why do we fast, and you do not see it?
afflict ourselves, and you take no note of it?”

Lo, on your fast day you carry out your own pursuits,
and drive all your laborers.
Yes, your fast ends in quarreling and fighting,
striking with wicked claw.
Would that today you might fast
so as to make your voice heard on high!
Is this the manner of fasting I wish,
of keeping a day of penance:
That a man bow his head like a reed
and lie in sackcloth and ashes?
Do you call this a fast,
a day acceptable to the LORD?
This, rather, is the fasting that I wish:
releasing those bound unjustly,
untying the thongs of the yoke;
Setting free the oppressed,
breaking every yoke;
Sharing your bread with the hungry,
sheltering the oppressed and the homeless;
Clothing the naked when you see them,
and not turning your back on your own.
Then your light shall break forth like the dawn,
and your wound shall quickly be healed;
Your vindication shall go before you,
and the glory of the LORD shall be your rear guard.
Then you shall call, and the LORD will answer,
you shall cry for help, and he will say: Here I am!

Responsorial Psalm 51:3-4, 5-6AB, 18-19

R.    (19b) A heart contrite and humbled, O God, you will not spurn.
Have mercy on me, O God, in your goodness;
in the greatness of your compassion wipe out my offense.
Thoroughly wash me from my guilt
and of my sin cleanse me.
R.    A heart contrite and humbled, O God, you will not spurn.
For I acknowledge my offense,
and my sin is before me always:
“Against you only have I sinned,
and done what is evil in your sight.”
R.    A heart contrite and humbled, O God, you will not spurn.
For you are not pleased with sacrifices;
should I offer a burnt offering, you would not accept it.
My sacrifice, O God, is a contrite spirit;
a heart contrite and humbled, O God, you will not spurn.
R.    A heart contrite and humbled, O God, you will not spurn.

Verse Before The GospelAM 5:14

Seek good and not evil so that you may live,
and the Lord will be with you.

Gospel MT 9:14-15

The disciples of John approached Jesus and said,
“Why do we and the Pharisees fast much,
but your disciples do not fast?”
Jesus answered them, “Can the wedding guests mourn
as long as the bridegroom is with them?
The days will come when the bridegroom is taken away from them,

and then they will fast.” 

Just The Two Of Us

In today’s gospel it says that Jesus embarked on a journey through Galilee with His disciples that He did not wish for anyone to know about. It seems that He was going to start revealing higher-level teaching or more importantly a deeper glance into His heart with His inner circle and the masses would not necessarily be ready for its content. This captured my heart today because it mimics how Jesus longs for intimacy with each one of us so that He can reveal deeper truths to us based on our personal capacity for receptivity. He wants to love each one of us in our secret hidden place set aside for time spent just with Him so that whispering can happen without scandal, nose-to-nose time can be a thing without spectacle, and that He can possibly go to some sensitive and perhaps difficult places with us in private. This is time that He doesn’t wish for anyone else to know about so that the two of us and the two of you can be the most present to just each other. Isn’t that such a wonderful invitation?  Shhhh, let’s get together, just the two of us and have a heart to heart. Jesus wants to journey alongside each one of us so He can reveal His heart. 

He noticed that there was some arguing taking place as they journeyed and so He asked about it, not with condemnation on His mind, but for an opening to teach. And this teaching was for an even smaller group, just the Twelve. Again, Jesus knows where we are in our spiritual receptivity and He knows exactly how to love us there. He knew the Twelve would need a bit of extra attention if they were to face the trial ahead and so He took the time to be with them. I hear tenderness in His voice and He pulls them aside to teach them that humility will be necessary for an Apostle to endure the trials that would come. He knew that receiving the lowly in the Name of Jesus was the higher-level lesson they would need to be able to evangelize the world, and He knew that He needed to reveal that they would need the presence of God front and center in their lives in order to do any of it. “Whoever receives one child such as this in my name, receives me; and whoever receives me, receives not me but the One who sent me.” Jesus noticed. This is crucial because He notices you and me also and He tenderly pulls us aside to show us what we need to carry His presence with us. Again: the intimacy, the whispering, the just the two of us. 

I’m not sure if anyone else would read this gospel with these things in mind, but obviously, my heart is focused on intimacy with Jesus, meeting Him in a secret place, learning about His heart as He reveals it in our time together, and letting Him notice me so that He can show me what my next level upgrade needs to be. He does this all with tenderness and for my good. It is well with my soul. 

Reading 1 JAS 4:1-10

Beloved:
Where do the wars and where do the conflicts among you come from?
Is it not from your passions that make war within your members?
You covet but do not possess.
You kill and envy but you cannot obtain;
you fight and wage war.
You do not possess because you do not ask.
You ask but do not receive, because you ask wrongly,
to spend it on your passions.
Adulterers!
Do you not know that to be a lover of the world means enmity with God?
Therefore, whoever wants to be a lover of the world   
makes himself an enemy of God.
Or do you suppose that the Scripture speaks without meaning when it says,
The spirit that he has made to dwell in us tends toward jealousy?
But he bestows a greater grace; therefore, it says:
God resists the proud,
but gives grace to the humble.

So submit yourselves to God.
Resist the Devil, and he will flee from you.
Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you.
Cleanse your hands, you sinners,
and purify your hearts, you of two minds.
Begin to lament, to mourn, to weep.
Let your laughter be turned into mourning
and your joy into dejection.
Humble yourselves before the Lord
and he will exalt you.

Responsorial Psalm 55:7-8, 9-10A, 10B-11A, 23

R.    (23a)  Throw your cares on the Lord, and he will support you.
And I say, “Had I but wings like a dove,
I would fly away and be at rest.
Far away I would flee;
I would lodge in the wilderness.”
R.    Throw your cares on the Lord, and he will support you.
“I would wait for him who saves me
from the violent storm and the tempest.”
Engulf them, O Lord; divide their counsels.
R.    Throw your cares on the Lord, and he will support you.
In the city I see violence and strife,
day and night they prowl about upon its walls.
R.    Throw your cares on the Lord, and he will support you.
Cast your care upon the LORD,
and he will support you;
never will he permit the just man to be disturbed.
R.    Throw your cares on the Lord, and he will support you.

Alleluia GAL 6:14

R. Alleluia, alleluia.
May I never boast except in the Cross of our Lord Jesus Christ,
through which the world has been crucified to me and I to the world.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel MK 9:30-3

Jesus and his disciples left from there and began a journey through Galilee,
but he did not wish anyone to know about it.
He was teaching his disciples and telling them,
“The Son of Man is to be handed over to men
and they will kill him,
and three days after his death the Son of Man will rise.”
But they did not understand the saying,
and they were afraid to question him.

They came to Capernaum and, once inside the house,
he began to ask them,
“What were you arguing about on the way?”
But they remained silent.
For they had been discussing among themselves on the way
who was the greatest.
Then he sat down, called the Twelve, and said to them,
“If anyone wishes to be first,   
he shall be the last of all and the servant of all.”
Taking a child, he placed it in their midst,   
and putting his arms around it, he said to them,
“Whoever receives one child such as this in my name, receives me;
and whoever receives me,
receives not me but the One who sent me.”

You’re All Prayed Up

This is a re-post from last year, but when it still reads fresh for me, I feel like it will still read fresh for you. 

I think I’ll just start with the punch line from today’s gospel, “This kind can only come out through prayer.” My prayer group and I have a saying, “you’re all prayed up”, which refers to our commitment to daily prayer as a way to prepare us for those times when “more” is required. Daily prayer widens our heart and deepens our faith in a way that situational prayer cannot. Spending habitual time in His presence increases our capacity to speak life into every situation including the scene in today’s gospel. The disciples had faith and had been healing the sick and driving out demons all over the place, however, this particular case had them stumped. It seemed they were lacking a reserve of time spent in the presence of God to take full authority over this boy’s particular affliction. Sometimes we are depleted of resources for whatever reason…lack of sleep, lack of energy, just that time of the month, extra stress, nutrition, too busy, lack of focus, etc. The same can be true in our spirit and a practice of daily prayer, habitual soaking in His presence, fasting to strengthen our faith, spending time in the Word, and worship can restore our depleted spirit in a way nothing else can: not good works, not best intentions, not fancy words, not doing religious stuff, etc. The disciples knew that Jesus spent time daily in His Father’s presence because he was constantly stealing away for prayer. And it was out of that place of prayer that Jesus could face the severity of this boy’s affliction. 

I love the transparency of the boy’s father in this story. They had been seeking healing for their son since he was a child and perhaps their faith had been stretched a bit thin. Raise your hand if you have ever prayed for someone for years and years. It seems that everyone, no matter how strong your faith, might become a bit weary at some point. The man was at the end of his hope and one little word made all the difference in his pleading with Jesus, “IF you can do anything, have compassion on us and help us.” Jesus responds, “’IF you can!’” “IF”? This was the great opening for Jesus to teach us that, “everything is possible to the one who has faith.” Right away, the man admits, “I do believe, help my unbelief!” What an amazing statement. This always hits me right in the middle of my own soul. I feel like I believe, however, I know I definitely struggle with unbelief and the only way to deal with that reality is to give it to Jesus. Once the man surrendered his unbelief and asked Jesus to help him with that, the boy was healed. The fact of the matter is that our faith cannot increase unless we spend time in the presence of God and then surrender any deficiency that we still have to Jesus. Confidence in God’s ability to heal ALL is only realized when we spend time enveloped in His love for us. Jesus knew that the disciples needed this key component to up their game. The boy’s father gave us a great prayer to remind us that we cannot do anything from our own authority, but when we give Jesus permission to come in and work through us, EVERYTHING is possible. 

“This kind can only come out through prayer.” Raise your hand if you have a “this kind” of situation in your life or in the life of someone you love right now. I do, but now I know that I simply need to spend time in the presence of my Father and surrender any doubt I have to Jesus, for “everything is possible to the one who has faith.” Help my unbelief, Jesus, and let my soaking in His presence release your presence into every “this kind” of situation. It is well with my soul. 

Today is my golden jubilee! Yep, 50 years old and I want to thank each one of you for allowing me to enter your prayer time with this blog. It started out as an assignment from my spiritual director and it has transformed into an expression of God’s deep and wide love for all of you. Whenever I am discouraged or feel like I should just stop writing, one or more of you will text or email a word of encouragement that lifts my soul to stay with it. I wake almost every morning at 3:00am to spend time in His Word and that has been the pinnacle transformation of my own spiritual life and so I want to thank you for giving me more incentive to do just that. This is a wonderful labor of my love for Jesus and I am so blessed to be able to share that gift with you. You make me a better writer and I am forever grateful. God bless your day.  

Reading 1 JAS 3:13-18

Beloved:
Who among you is wise and understanding?
Let him show his works by a good life   
in the humility that comes from wisdom.
But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your hearts,
do not boast and be false to the truth.
Wisdom of this kind does not come down from above
but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic.
For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist,
there is disorder and every foul practice.
But the wisdom from above is first of all pure,
then peaceable, gentle, compliant,
full of mercy and good fruits,
without inconstancy or insincerity.
And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace
for those who cultivate peace.

Responsorial Psalm 19:8, 9, 10, 15

R.    (9a)  The precepts of the Lord give joy to the heart.
The law of the LORD is perfect,
refreshing the soul;
The decree of the LORD is trustworthy,
giving wisdom to the simple.
R.    The precepts of the Lord give joy to the heart.
The precepts of the LORD are right,
rejoicing the heart;
The command of the LORD is clear,
enlightening the eye.
R.    The precepts of the Lord give joy to the heart.
The fear of the LORD is pure,
enduring forever;
The ordinances of the LORD are true,
all of them just.
R.    The precepts of the Lord give joy to the heart.
Let the words of my mouth and the thought of my heart
find favor before you,
O LORD, my rock and my redeemer.
R.    The precepts of the Lord give joy to the heart.

Alleluia 2 TM 1:10

R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Our Savior Jesus Christ has destroyed death
and brought life to light through the Gospel.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel MK 9:14-29

As Jesus came down from the mountain with Peter, James, John
and approached the other disciples,
they saw a large crowd around them and scribes arguing with them.
Immediately on seeing him,
the whole crowd was utterly amazed.
They ran up to him and greeted him.
He asked them, “What are you arguing about with them?”
Someone from the crowd answered him,
“Teacher, I have brought to you my son possessed by a mute spirit.
Wherever it seizes him, it throws him down;
he foams at the mouth, grinds his teeth, and becomes rigid.
I asked your disciples to drive it out, but they were unable to do so.”
He said to them in reply,
“O faithless generation, how long will I be with you?
How long will I endure you?  Bring him to me.”
They brought the boy to him.
And when he saw him,
the spirit immediately threw the boy into convulsions.
As he fell to the ground, he began to roll around   
and foam at the mouth.
Then he questioned his father,
“How long has this been happening to him?”
He replied, “Since childhood.
It has often thrown him into fire and into water to kill him.
But if you can do anything, have compassion on us and help us.”
Jesus said to him,
“‘If you can!’ Everything is possible to one who has faith.”
Then the boy’s father cried out, “I do believe, help my unbelief!”
Jesus, on seeing a crowd rapidly gathering,
rebuked the unclean spirit and said to it,
“Mute and deaf spirit, I command you:
come out of him and never enter him again!”
Shouting and throwing the boy into convulsions, it came out.
He became like a corpse, which caused many to say, “He is dead!”
But Jesus took him by the hand, raised him, and he stood up.
When he entered the house, his disciples asked him in private,
“Why could we not drive the spirit out?”
He said to them, “This kind can only come out through prayer.”

Sentimental Journey

Ever since I walked the Camino de Santiago, I’ve been on a quest to simplify my life as much as I can. There has been a lot of weeding, pruning, and purging in most of the areas of my life and recently, there has been a big push to downsize the “stuff.” The guys at the Goodwill up the street know my car and my face because I have made so many visits in the past several weeks. It feels good to purge. I even cleaned out mom’s entire garage while she was in Hawaii and moved both our cars in. De-cluttering has been an exercise in choosing things that matter, bring joy, and add to my life rather than distract, complicate, or weigh me down. It has been a sentimental journey for sure especially when I come across those old photos that plop you down for a good cry, or those tokens from past loves that you would never before consider parting with, or love letters upon love letters that remind you of being in love. These time capsules melt my heart in a way that cleanses it like a good rain. It has been important to do some proper goodbyes with much of it and it has been important to simply let it go without any ceremony at all. The “letting it go” part is what came to mind when I was reading today’s Gospel. Jesus gives us three ways to simplify our life, “Whoever wishes to come after me must deny themselves, take up their cross, and follow me.” Simply put, I must get out of the way, pick up a victorious mindset (as in Jesus died on the cross to give me victory over sin and death), and then imitate Him in the world. 

I think it is safe to assume that we probably think to “take up your cross” means that there will be great suffering, and that the Christian life will bring much hardship, but suck it up anyway. What if we change our perspective and think to “take up your cross” is to take up your victory in Christ, to take up your freedom, to take up God’s healing, to take up God’s forgiveness, to take up God’s unconditional love for us, to take up the payment for our sin, and to take up the mercy of God? Wouldn’t that change everything? I’m not saying life will be free of suffering, but “the cross” is our victory banner, not our torture instrument. The cross has already been taken up by Jesus and so “taking up the cross” means taking up Jesus daily. Yes, suffering is a part of our human experience, and yes, suffering can be used as a way to unite ourselves to Christ’s heart, however, Jesus did not die to bring us affliction and pain, He died to bring us freedom, mercy, love, and forgiveness, therefore, our daily cross is carrying those things on our shoulders as a reminder of God’s radical love. What if denying myself becomes to deny that I cannot do anything apart from the mercy received through the cross? What if denying myself means I don’t need to save myself because Jesus has already saved me on the cross?

To come after Him is to pursue Him daily. Pursuing Him is like playing hide-and-seek with a toddler because they each LOVE being found!! His presence is what gives us the eyes to see the cross in a different light and the will to move out of His way and let Him be The Way. 

I don’t know about you, but this new perspective on “taking up your cross” changes everything for me. I’m not asked to take up an instrument of death and suffering that is heavy and terrible and crushing, I am asked to take up the love and the mercy that was poured out onto that cross, and I am asked to live in that love and mercy daily. His burden is light, remember? As I soak in His presence every morning, I am going to soak in the blessings of the cross and not focus on its heaviness. It is important to remember the pain of the cross, but it is more important to let its divine mercy wash over us daily, and that is the most sentimental journey of all. It is well with my soul. 

Reading 1 JAS 2:14-24, 26

What good is it, my brothers and sisters,
if someone says he has faith but does not have works?   
Can that faith save him?
If a brother or sister has nothing to wear
and has no food for the day,
and one of you says to them,
“Go in peace, keep warm, and eat well,”
but you do not give them the necessities of the body,
what good is it?
So also faith of itself,
if it does not have works, is dead.

Indeed someone might say,   
“You have faith and I have works.”
Demonstrate your faith to me without works,
and I will demonstrate my faith to you from my works.
You believe that God is one.
You do well.
Even the demons believe that and tremble.
Do you want proof, you ignoramus,
that faith without works is useless?
Was not Abraham our father justified by works
when he offered his son Isaac upon the altar?
You see that faith was active along with his works,
and faith was completed by the works.
Thus the Scripture was fulfilled that says,
Abraham believed God,
and it was credited to him as righteousness,
and he was called the friend of God.
See how a person is justified by works and not by faith alone.
For just as a body without a spirit is dead,
so also faith without works is dead.

Responsorial Psalm 112:1-2, 3-4, 5-6

R.    (see 1b)  Blessed the man who greatly delights in the Lord’s commands.
Blessed the man who fears the LORD,
who greatly delights in his commands.
His posterity shall be mighty upon the earth;
the upright generation shall be blessed.
R.    Blessed the man who greatly delights in the Lord’s commands.
Wealth and riches shall be in his house;
his generosity shall endure forever.
Light shines through the darkness for the upright;
he is gracious and merciful and just.
R.    Blessed the man who greatly delights in the Lord’s commands.
Well for the man who is gracious and lends,
who conducts his affairs with justice;
He shall never be moved;
the just man shall be in everlasting remembrance.
R.    Blessed the man who greatly delights in the Lord’s commands.

Alleluia JN 15:15B

R.    Alleluia, alleluia.
I call you my friends, says the Lord,
for I have made known to you all that the Father has told me.
R.    Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel MK 8:34–9:1

Jesus summoned the crowd with his disciples and said to them,
“Whoever wishes to come after me must deny himself,
take up his cross, and follow me.
For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it,
but whoever loses his life for my sake
and that of the Gospel will save it.
What profit is there for one to gain the whole world
and forfeit his life?
What could one give in exchange for his life?
Whoever is ashamed of me and of my words
in this faithless and sinful generation,
the Son of Man will be ashamed of
when he comes in his Father’s glory with the holy angels.”

He also said to them,
“Amen, I say to you,
there are some standing here who will not taste death
until they see that the Kingdom of God has come in power.”

Trust Walk

Today’s gospel is a beautiful trust walk. Jesus leads the blind man outside the city because He knew that not only was He going to touch his eyes, but also He would use his own spit to heal him and if the Pharisees witnessed this act of “uncleanliness”, it would have caused some serious scandal. While Jesus could handle the scandal He didn’t want to bring scandal to this man, his faithful friends, and his family, so He gently moved him to a more private place. I love the tenderness that we see in Jesus today. Meditate on it because it is a special and lovely scene.

When Jesus spit on the man’s eyes, I wonder if He spit into his own hands first or if he gently spit directly on his eyes. Both ways have an intimacy about them that reveals Jesus’ true nature. He wants and needs to be close to us. Jesus takes his own breath (or Spirit) and combines it with his own DNA (or spit) and places his very essence on this man’s eyes (on our broken hearts, or our wounded lives). He does it once, and then checks in with the man, “Can you see anything?” The man responds truthfully, yes, but things are still a little blurry. How powerful this exchange is. Healing is a process and it is Jesus, God Himself, who checks back in with him (and us) to see where he (and we) is (and are) in the healing process. When the man tells him he’s not there yet, Jesus goes in again and this time touches his eyes with His hands. He will never stop the healing process if we ask. This, my friends, is an excellent model of prayer. 

·      Begging for God to be near to us, to hold us, to touch us 

·      Receiving the grace that He breathes on our hurting lives 

·      Listening when God asks us where we are in the process 

·      Responding in faith and

·      Allowing God to finish the good work He began in us

His sight was restored and he saw everything. This indicates that the man could see before and he went blind rather than was born blind. It’s a good metaphor for how sin can steal our vision. Jesus sent him straight home and didn’t want him to go into the village, A. Share your blessings first and foremost with your family, B. He knew that the village would immediately begin to gossip over the scandalous way in which he was healed and Jesus really really really wants us to avoid this kind of behavior, and C. Jesus knows when He tells people to keep things a “secret” they will tell all and that was His plan. We need to tell people how we experience Christ in our lives. 

This sweet little scene has so much depth to it.

·      Let our faith be big enough to trust that Jesus will heal us just by being close

·      When He takes us by the hand He will lead us to a place where He can be intimate with us

·      Receive His Spirit when He gives it

·      God is constantly checking in with us

·      If we need further healing, don’t be afraid to ask

·      Eventually, we will be restored to the way we were before hurt and sin stole our sight. 

It is well with my soul. 

Reading 1 JAS 1:19-27

Know this, my dear brothers and sisters:
everyone should be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger
for anger does not accomplish
the righteousness of God.
Therefore, put away all filth and evil excess
and humbly welcome the word that has been planted in you
and is able to save your souls.

Be doers of the word and not hearers only, deluding yourselves.
For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer,
he is like a man who looks at his own face in a mirror.
He sees himself, then goes off and promptly forgets
what he looked like.
But the one who peers into the perfect law of freedom and perseveres,
and is not a hearer who forgets but a doer who acts;
such a one shall be blessed in what he does.

If anyone thinks he is religious and does not bridle his tongue
but deceives his heart, his religion is vain.
Religion that is pure and undefiled before God and the Father is this:
to care for orphans and widows in their affliction
and to keep oneself unstained by the world.

Responsorial Psalm 15:2-3A, 3BC-4AB, 5

R.    (1b)  Who shall live on your holy mountain, O Lord?
He who walks blamelessly and does justice;
who thinks the truth in his heart
and slanders not with his tongue.
R.    Who shall live on your holy mountain, O Lord?
Who harms not his fellow man,
nor takes up a reproach against his neighbor;
By whom the reprobate is despised,
while he honors those who fear the LORD.
R.    Who shall live on your holy mountain, O Lord?
Who lends not his money at usury
and accepts no bribe against the innocent.
He who does these things
shall never be disturbed.
R.    Who shall live on your holy mountain, O Lord?

Alleluia EPH 1:17-18

R.    Alleluia, alleluia.
May the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ
enlighten the eyes of our hearts,
that we may know what is the hope
that belongs to his call.
R.    Alleluia, alleluia

Gospel MK 8:22-26

When Jesus and his disciples arrived at Bethsaida,
people brought to him a blind man and begged Jesus to touch him.
He took the blind man by the hand and led him outside the village.
Putting spittle on his eyes he laid his hands on the man and asked,
“Do you see anything?”
Looking up the man replied, “I see people looking like trees and walking.”
Then he laid hands on the man’s eyes a second time and he saw clearly;
his sight was restored and he could see everything distinctly.
Then he sent him home and said, “Do not even go into the village.”