It was not everyday that Jesus walked through the town of Jericho, yet The Holy Bible narrates that one time, as Jesus was leaving Jericho, two blind beggars were determined to seize an opportunity!
“Jesus was passing by, they [the two blind beggars]
began to call out, “Son of David, have mercy on us!”
(Mt 20:30)
At this it seems that the people got rather upset and hence
“told them to be quiet”. (Mt 20:31)
But did they?!
No Way!!!
They were beggars!
Beggars …as the name implies… are very used to begging! ;-)
So, they did the very opposite:
Beggars …as the name implies… are very used to begging! ;-)
So, they did the very opposite:
“they shouted even louder [!!!]
‘Lord, Son of David, have mercy on us!’ ”
(Mt 20:31)
…they sure were determined!!!
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And Jesus reacts…
"Jesus stopped”
(Mt 20:32)
Strange! :-o
People don’t stop when a beggar calls!
If anything they'd hurry by!
People usually pretend they do not see beggars!
They pretend they do not hear beggars!
Basically people ignore beggars!
...At best they might throw a few coins
…but they wouldn’t stop!!!
On the contrary they’d hurry by!!!!
But Jesus “stopped”.
But Jesus “stopped”.
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So as upto now I might have said “strange”but at the same time I might have also said “Uh-oh!!!”
I’d think Jesus was going to scold them!
Tell them to shut up!
But did He?
No!
Jesus did the very opposite!!!
(I think I like to call this passage “Opposites” !!! ;-)
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Jesus
"called out to them and and asked,
“What do you want me to do for you?”
(Mt 20:32)
Jesus ‘stopped’ from whatever He was doing
NOT to scold them
NOR to shut them up!
Jesus ‘stopped’ simply to give them
FULL ATTENTION
and invite them to approach!!
Furthermore He asked them:
‘What do you want me to do for you?’ !!!!!
Well today I’d say “wow”
but if I were there,
at that time,
I’d have seen it
very differently!
…huh?!
…em?!
…Jesus are you ok?!
…em?!
…Jesus are you ok?!
(actually I’m surprised Peter didn’t react!)
I’d have thought:
“...isn’t it bad enough He has ‘stopped’
…now He’s asking them what they want?!?!”
“...isn’t it bad enough He has ‘stopped’
…now He’s asking them what they want?!?!”
…I might have thought Jesus was closer to crazy than just plain strange!! :-(
But Jesus was very far from both ‘crazy’ and ‘just plain strange’!
Jesus was Merciful!
Jesus was Merciful!
He had noticed them and heard their cries!
And contrary to what people usually did He invited them and furthermore practically made Himself subject to anything they desired!
…Wow!!!
And contrary to what people usually did He invited them and furthermore practically made Himself subject to anything they desired!
…Wow!!!
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…I’d think it could not get better but I’m wrong!It gets even better than that!!!
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“Jesus was moved with compassion and touched their eyes.
Immediately they recovered their sight
and began to follow Jesus.”
(Matt 20:34)
Well, leaving aside the VERY BIG miracle Jesus did on that day we, …i… am left to ponder something which might be EVEN BIGGER that that VERY BIG miracle!
Jesus is moved with compassion!
Jesus, GOD, is moved with compassion!!
He, The Great ‘I AM’, is moved with compassion!!
Jesus, GOD, is moved with compassion!!
He, The Great ‘I AM’, is moved with compassion!!
…at the sight of two beggars!!!
…and what’s worse
(or should I say even better?!)
they were two blind beggars!!!!
That was Jesus’ reaction!!!
Jesus stopped
Jesus called
Jesus asked
Jesus was moved with compassion!
(And of course Jesus healed)
…but to think of the first four reactions!!!
Jesus gives full attention!
Jesus invites and welcomes!
Jesus desires to be of assistance!
Jesus, GOD, is moved with compassion!
(I think I might get a clue as to God’s mercy from this passage of opposites! ;-)
…and what’s worse
(or should I say even better?!)
they were two blind beggars!!!!
That was Jesus’ reaction!!!
Jesus stopped
Jesus called
Jesus asked
Jesus was moved with compassion!
(And of course Jesus healed)
…but to think of the first four reactions!!!
Jesus gives full attention!
Jesus invites and welcomes!
Jesus desires to be of assistance!
Jesus, GOD, is moved with compassion!
(I think I might get a clue as to God’s mercy from this passage of opposites! ;-)
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(well again …I should really put a disclaimer here… : this is just me thinking! That which is correct I have been taught and you can accept it. That which is incorrect ...and I do hope there is not any/much of ‘incorrect’ in here... is solely my thinking :-) …be wise enough to correct me or just ignore it! ;-)
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And speaking of Mercy, we were told in Church yesterday, that today Monday 6th October, was the Feast of Sister Faustina Kowalska. (It turns out that actually her feast day was yesterday …but oh well... :-)
Of Polish descent and nationality, Helen Kowalski was born in Krakov (that place should ring a bell! Hint: place is connected to a Polish Pope ;-) on August 1905 and was third of ten siblings.
When in her young adult life, Helen entered convent, joining the Sisters of Our Lady of Mercy. Here she humbly prayed and worked hard, obeying and doing whole heartedly any task she was assigned. (…which included cleaning and gardening by the way…)
Sr. Faustina would see Jesus and He would tell her of how He desires to bring sinners back to Him. Jesus would tell her of His Great, Infinite and Divine Mercy for Sinners and asked the same nun to pray for all of us who stray away from God’s path.
Pope John Paul 2 had presented Sr. Kowalski to the youth as one of our models asking us to follow her example, praying "sincerely" the prayer "Jesus, i trust in you!" (see first link below)
Sr.Kawalski died at age 33 (?incidentally? thats the same age Jesus died) suffering from Tuberculosis. She was canonized by the (also) Polish Pope John Paul 2 on the 30th April 2000, making her first person declared ‘saint’ this new millenium.
Sr.Faustina Kowalski is today known as the 'Apostle of Divine Mercy' and Catholics all over the world pray what is referred to as the Chaplet of Divine Mercy. A prayer which Jesus Himself taught her and asked that it would be prayed. (At the very bottom of the page you will find an icon/you tube image which will open up into the same prayer if clicked :-)
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Scripture is full of truths about God’s Great Mercy and many people have written on the same subject. Hence there is MUCH MUCH MUCH (...) more one can say on God’s mercy!!
…yet very very simply I think it can be summed up in four words: (there’s something about the number 4 over here?! ;-)
“His kindness endureth forever!”
(Psalm 136:26)
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Today's Eucharist Readings too deal alot about mercy!
(you can access them by clicking the
'Emmaus' Picture on the right hand panel)
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Other relevant links on the same subject:
Sr.Faustina, a model for the youth: http://www.wyd2008.org/index.php/en/pilgrims_registration/wyd08_patrons/st_faustina_kowalska__1
Sr.Faustina's Diary: http://www.our.homewithgod.com/divinemercy/
An Encyclical by Holy Father Pope John Paul 2
Dives Misericordia
(on the richness of God's mercy):
The Divine Mercy Chaplet can also be
found at the very bottom of this page.
(Scroll down and click the image/you tube to see and pray)
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"The Lord is gracious and merciful abounding in love and slow to anger. As the heavens are high above the earth, so great is His love for those fearing Him; as far as the East is from the West, so far does He remove from us our sins. As a father has compassion on his children, so the Lord pities those who fear Him. Praise the Lord, all his works, everywhere He rules!!" (Ps 103: 8,11-13,22)
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