Asking till it Hurts

 “'Take courage; get up, Jesus is calling you.' He threw aside his cloak, sprang up, and came to Jesus. Jesus said to him in reply, 'What do you want me to do for you?' The blind man replied to him, 'Master, I want to see.'" Mk 10:50

From the time we are children we learn that the measure of faith is the courage to keep trying. No matter how often we fail to live our faith fully, sin or turn away from God, the Christian learns to dust him or herself off and start walking faith's path again. Because God is always there to help us up, this terrible and terrifying challenge, though difficult, is possible. This simple lesson is important even for the experienced believer.

The blind man in today's Gospel is proof of this. Despite the fact that those around him tried to keep him quiet so as not to bother Jesus, the blind man kept shouting until Jesus responded. Refusing to be reduced to his blindness, he trusted that Jesus would help him if only he kept asking.

The lesson is clear. If we allow ourselves to lose courage or faith because we think we are beyond help or only bothering others, we will never do the right thing. Whether we are asking for ourselves or others does not matter. The demand of faith is that we keep asking God for help and trusting that God is near.

Today, be grateful for anyone who extended a hand to you when you were struggling.

What practices most help you persevere in faith?

Fig Trees

 "For three years now I have come in search of fruit on this fig tree but have found none. So cut it down. Why should it exhaust the soil?" Mk 13:7

At the time of Jesus, Palestine was an arid land with little water and shallow soil. Farmers had to use their resources carefully. Because they could not afford to allow fruit bearing plants or trees that did not produce a good crop to litter the land, they became a ready example for Jesus to teach.

All of us must bear fruit. Given faith as a free gift, we need to spend it freely for the good of others. Faith is not something that merely calls us to personal holiness. It is a treasure intended to help others know God and the Good News of Jesus. Only when we live faith in a transparent way does it bear the fruit intended by God.

Today,  reach out for someone lost.

What keeps you from producing fruit for all to eat?

The End Times

 "When you hear of wars and insurrections, do not be terrified." Lk 21:9

We are always looking for signs. Is there a red sky in the morning? Will it be a rainy day? Iranians threaten to develop nuclear arms. Will there be another war in the middle east? The stock market passes 16000. Will the country finally be able to produce new jobs? Many people work very hard at reading these signs and as often as not there are so many variables that their prognostications are worthless, but we don't stop trying. We want to know in order to control life and in the end our efforts are fruitless.

While all of us must be diligent and caring about creation and our relationships in Christ, trying to control them like toys in a game not only does not work, it is wrong. Life belongs to God and the church challenges us to work hard and then let go into God's hands, trusting that like a Father he will watch over his children, guide them and show them the path to life.

Especially at the end of another liturgical year, the church reminds us that though we have a long road to hoe, God will never abandon us. There is nothing we have to fear as long as we keep trying to turn towards the light and trust God's direction. While this can be difficult, especially when we have been disappointed by life or our religious leaders, faith demands we enter the mystery and let go.

Today, accept your sinfulness and wait for God.

What about life do you most try to control?

The Signs of the Times

 "Hypocrites! You know how to interpret the appearance of the earth and the sky; why do you not know how to interpret the present time?" Lk 12:56

Jesus often uses nature to help his listeners understand how plain the Gospel message is. When they hear thunder or see lightning in the sky they know to get out of the water or away from trees. In a similar way, our spirits regularly tell us that there is something brewing is us that needs attention.

When we become moody or resistive to the simple requests of friends or family, it ought to be a clue that something is wrong and needs our response, not our reaction. More important, we need to listen to our inner voice when it urges us to reach beyond our normal boundaries to help others, many of whom we will never know.

Poverty is everywhere in the world, and we have no choice as Christians but to respond to those in desperate need. Not to look at or see the world's poor, especially migrants streaming out of countries where their own leaders torture and chase them is a horror too plain to ignore.

Today, listen to or watch a report on the world's hungry.

Are you rushing too much making it impossible to hear the signs of the times?