Dear Friends,

This section of the gospel of Mark is very interesting.  Many people come up to Jesus with questions: the rich man, the disciples.  This week Bartimaeus tells Jesus that he wants to see (Mk 10:46-52). 

Faith is a way of seeing.  Living with faith can give us a whole new way to see life.  Even with our faith there are many ways to be blind.  For example:  racism, prejudice. 

Here is a prayer asking God to remove our blindness: 
Lord, help me to see that the jerk who cut me off in traffic last night is a single mother who worked 9 hours that day who is rushing home to cook dinner, help with homework, do laundry, and spend a few precious moments with her children.

Lord, help me to see that the pierced, tattooed, disinterested young man who can’t even make change correctly is a worried 19-year-old college student who is balancing apprehension over final exams with fears that he is not getting his student loan for next semester.

Lord, help me to see that the scary looking bum begging for money at the same spot every single day is a slave to addictions I can only imagine in my worst nightmare.

Lord, help me to see that the old couple walking annoyingly slow through the store aisles blocking my shopping is savoring the moment knowing that based on the biopsy she got last week, this will probably be the last year that they can go shopping together.

Lord, remind me each day of all the gifts you give us.  The greatest gift is love.  It is not enough to share those gifts with those we love dear.  Open my eyes.  Open my heart not just to those who are close, but to all people who are your sons and daughters. 

Fr. Greg