Beloved friends in Christ,
Jesus will save and restore us if we go to him. In today's first reading from Jeremiah 3: 7-9, the Lord rejoices in the restoration of the remnant of Israel on their return from exile to the promised land: "Behold, I will bring them back from the land of the North; I will gather them from the ends of the world, with the blind and the lame in their midst...I will lead them to brooks of water, on a level road, so that none shall stumble." The prophecy of Jeremiah on the deliverance and restoration of his people finds ultimate fulfillment in the Messianic age, in Jesus Christ, who walks in our midst as he did with Bartimaeus, the blind man.
Jesus is the revelation of God's mercy and salvation. Bartimeus had faith in Jesus, and he persevered in that faith, which led to the restoration of his sight and his following in his footsteps: "Immediately he received his sight and followed him on the way" (Mk 10: 52). Jesus can deliver us, like he did Bartimeus, from any miserable conditions that might hinder our total dedication to him. All we have to do is go to Jesus in faith. Jesus is constantly passing by; he is present among us, willing to heal and renew us. We need our sight restored to see who Jesus is and follow him. Jesus has the power and is willing to restore and revive us; all we need is a heart in love with Jesus and faith in his name and person to heal us. We must show this in the consistency and ardor with which we pray. There will be obstacles like there were to Bartimeus, but we must learn not to give up calling on Jesus despite those obstacles. Jesus wants to heal and renew us, but we have to go to Jesus in faith.
St. Bernard of Clairvaux expresses our role in receiving the superabundance of grace from Jesus in the following words: "We are the ones who have to go to Jesus. Our eyes have been blind. We have lain paralyzed on our mats, incapable of reaching the grandeur of God. This is why our most lovable Saviour and Healer of souls has descended from on high." We must go to Jesus with complete faith in the power of the one willing to heal and save us. Jesus is with us always, especially in the Eucharist. What a great comfort to know he is so close to us. All that is left is to grow in the faith that keeps us praying to him during our time of misery and suffering, "Jesus, son of David, have pity on me." It is that simple, but nothing is more powerful to save us. Empowered in faith, call on Jesus, go to Jesus.
As we call upon the saving name of Jesus, I want to call our attention to an opportunity to call on the name of Jesus in worship at the "Fall Worship Night" event this Saturday from 6: 30. It will be a time of faith-driven worship and praise of God with our parish-based band, FORGVEN.
The last two days of this week are significant. Friday is All Saints Solemn Feast, a holy day of obligation, and Saturday is All Souls' Day. Please check the bulletin for further details. We will remember our departed loved ones throughout November, but a special remembrance will occur next Saturday, November 2nd, at 4 p.m. Mass.
In Christ,
Fr. Bernard Alayode, OP
Jesus will save and restore us if we go to him. In today's first reading from Jeremiah 3: 7-9, the Lord rejoices in the restoration of the remnant of Israel on their return from exile to the promised land: "Behold, I will bring them back from the land of the North; I will gather them from the ends of the world, with the blind and the lame in their midst...I will lead them to brooks of water, on a level road, so that none shall stumble." The prophecy of Jeremiah on the deliverance and restoration of his people finds ultimate fulfillment in the Messianic age, in Jesus Christ, who walks in our midst as he did with Bartimaeus, the blind man.
Jesus is the revelation of God's mercy and salvation. Bartimeus had faith in Jesus, and he persevered in that faith, which led to the restoration of his sight and his following in his footsteps: "Immediately he received his sight and followed him on the way" (Mk 10: 52). Jesus can deliver us, like he did Bartimeus, from any miserable conditions that might hinder our total dedication to him. All we have to do is go to Jesus in faith. Jesus is constantly passing by; he is present among us, willing to heal and renew us. We need our sight restored to see who Jesus is and follow him. Jesus has the power and is willing to restore and revive us; all we need is a heart in love with Jesus and faith in his name and person to heal us. We must show this in the consistency and ardor with which we pray. There will be obstacles like there were to Bartimeus, but we must learn not to give up calling on Jesus despite those obstacles. Jesus wants to heal and renew us, but we have to go to Jesus in faith.
St. Bernard of Clairvaux expresses our role in receiving the superabundance of grace from Jesus in the following words: "We are the ones who have to go to Jesus. Our eyes have been blind. We have lain paralyzed on our mats, incapable of reaching the grandeur of God. This is why our most lovable Saviour and Healer of souls has descended from on high." We must go to Jesus with complete faith in the power of the one willing to heal and save us. Jesus is with us always, especially in the Eucharist. What a great comfort to know he is so close to us. All that is left is to grow in the faith that keeps us praying to him during our time of misery and suffering, "Jesus, son of David, have pity on me." It is that simple, but nothing is more powerful to save us. Empowered in faith, call on Jesus, go to Jesus.
As we call upon the saving name of Jesus, I want to call our attention to an opportunity to call on the name of Jesus in worship at the "Fall Worship Night" event this Saturday from 6: 30. It will be a time of faith-driven worship and praise of God with our parish-based band, FORGVEN.
The last two days of this week are significant. Friday is All Saints Solemn Feast, a holy day of obligation, and Saturday is All Souls' Day. Please check the bulletin for further details. We will remember our departed loved ones throughout November, but a special remembrance will occur next Saturday, November 2nd, at 4 p.m. Mass.
In Christ,
Fr. Bernard Alayode, OP
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