Catholic Masses

  • Search for Mass Times
  • Catholic Faith Articles
    • News Briefs
    • Catholic Church
    • Vatican News
    • Catholic Gift Ideas
  • Online Masses
    • Daily Catholic Mass Online
      • Daily TV Mass from Toronto
      • EWTN Daily Mass
      • CTVN Daily Mass
      • Sunday Mass by the Passionists
      • Daily Mass (In Spanish)
  • Pray with Us
Home Test page The Road of Gathering, Exodus, and Salvation

The Road of Gathering, Exodus, and Salvation

Detail from “Christ Healing the Blind Man” (c. 1650s) by Eustache Le Sueur [WikiArt.org]

Readings:
• Jer 31:7-9
• Ps 126:1-2, 2-3, 4-5, 6
• Heb 5:1-6
• Mk 10:46-52

“In the beginning,” states Lumen Gentium, the Second Vatican Council’s Dogmatic Constitution on the Church, “God made human nature one and decreed that all His children, scattered as they were, would finally be gathered together as one” (par. 13). God’s plan of salvation involves being liberated from sin and death. It also involves being liberated from that place to this place, of being moved from one state in life to a radically new one.

The prophet Jeremiah, writing during the Assyrian exile, which began around 740 B.C., pointed toward a time when the faithful return to the Promised Land and the Temple. “Behold, I will bring them back from the land of the north,” the Lord declared through the suffering prophet, “I will gather them from the ends of the world, with the blind and the lame in their midst…” This is one of many Old Testament passages describing such a gathering. Today’s Psalm expresses the hopeful expectation of exodus from exile, “when the Lord brought back the captives of Zion.”

Israel’s history was deeply shaped by captivity, exile and exodus. The Exodus from Egypt was a formative event for the Jewish people. Most first-century Jews believed that the Messiah, the “anointed one,” would gather together the scattered people of God. Those who heard Jesus announcing the Kingdom of God heard the promise of a renewed Davidic kingdom marked by political and cultural autonomy.

But, as Lumen Gentium explains, the focus of the Messiah’s regathering was not national boundaries and political power. “It was for this purpose that God sent His Son, whom He appointed heir of all things, that he might be teacher, king and priest of all, the head of the new and universal people of the sons of God” (par. 13). Jesus, the heir of David, would conquer sin and death. Jesus, the high priest, would sacrifice himself for the sake of the world. The entire world was in exile in the realm of sin, and the Messiah—who was also a new Moses—would lead the people of God in an exodus from the darkness of spiritual slavery into the light of salvation.

Jesus, in announcing the Kingdom of God, notes Bishop Robert Barron in The Priority of Christ (Brazos Press, 2007), “was not calling attention to general, timeless spiritual truths, nor was he urging people to make a decision for God; he was telling his listeners that Yahweh was actively gathering the people of Israel and, indirectly, all people into a new salvific order, and he was insisting that his hearers conform themselves to the new state of affairs.” The son of David was gathering the lost, the wounded, the lame, and the blind, and he continues to gather them into the Church, which is “God’s reaction to the chaos provoked by sin” (Catechism of the Catholic Church, 761).

The encounter between Jesus and the blind man, heard in today’s Gospel, is a microcosm of this gathering. It took place on the cusp of the Passover, as Jesus made his way with the crowds going to Jerusalem to celebrate the Passover—the feast marking the Exodus. The blind man, Bartimaeus, knew the identity of the Jesus and twice called upon him, “Son of David, have pity on me.” How did he know Jesus was the Messiah? How did a blind mind see the truth so clearly? How could a beggar possess such rich knowledge? And, conversely, how did so many people with sight remain blind? Why did the wealthy and the powerful so often reject the riches of Christ?

Jesus simply said, “Call him.” His disciples then called Bartimaeus, and he threw off his cloak—which represented his old life (cf. Rom. 13:12; Eph 4:22)—and came to Jesus. “Master,” he said, “I want to see.” Jesus healed him and told him to “go your way.” And Bartimaeus followed the Messiah on his way to Jerusalem, the Cross, and the Resurrection, the road of gathering, exodus, and salvation.

(This “Opening the Word” column originally appeared in the October 25, 2009, edition of Our Sunday Visitor newspaper.)


If you value the news and views Catholic World Report provides, please consider donating to support our efforts. Your contribution will help us continue to make CWR available to all readers worldwide for free, without a subscription. Thank you for your generosity!

Click here for more information on donating to CWR. Click here to sign up for our newsletter.


Catholic World Report

Oct 22, 2021CatholicMasses

Share this post:

Share on FacebookShare on TwitterShare on PinterestShare on EmailShare on LinkedIn
Why legal abortion is bad precedent: Roe v. Wade critics make the case to Supreme CourtCatholics pray after Alabama executes death row inmate
You Might Also Like
 
International Eucharistic Congress in Budapest postponed to 2021
 
Diocese in Connecticut files for bankruptcy amid abuse lawsuits

You must be logged in to post a comment. - Log in

CatholicMasses
9 months ago Bartimaeus, Bishop Robert Barron, Catholic News, Exodus, Jeremiah, Jesus Christ, Lumen Gentium, messiah, Moses, The Dispatch, Vatican IIBartimaeus, Bishop Robert Barron, Catholic Church, Exodus, Jeremiah, Jesus Christ, Lumen Gentium, messiah, Moses, News Briefs, The Dispatch, Vatican II9
Find Mass Schedules Near You

CatholicMasses.org allows you to search for Catholic Churches to find Mass times near you!

This unique feature helps while traveling.  Now along with Mass times, schedules and Catholic news you can also watch daily Catholic Mass online with your friends.

Try our free resource to “find Roman Catholic Churches near me” today!

St Alphonsus Liguori praised the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass as the best way to Honor God.  Join us as we celebrate Mass daily from various parishes around the world, online and offline, and please visit daily to pray with us as we recite the Rosary, offer daily scripture, readings, devotions and Catholic focused news. We bring you daily Catholic Mass from various parishes around the world and Catholic news.

Today’s Mass
Daily Mass Videos
  • Catholic Chicago
  • CatholicTVNetwork Daily Mass
  • Daily Mass from Toronto Canada
  • ETWN Daily Mass
  • Eucaristia en Vivo – Spanish Daily Mass
  • General Catholic Videos
  • Live video from Lourdes France
  • Masses from the Ascension Priests
  • Misa Hoy (en español)
  • National Shrine
  • News from a Catholic Perspective
  • News from CFN
  • Pope Francis and Vatican News
  • Rosary
  • Sunday Mass by the Passionists
What’s New
  • Britney Spears Clarifies She Asked for a Catholic Wedding: ‘I Don’t Like Being Called a Liar’
  • Meet the first Cardinal of East Timor
  • The Minimum Wage, Progressivism, and the Eucharist
  • Britney Spears clarifies she asked for a Catholic church wedding: ‘I don’t like being called a liar’
  • Catholic schools’ free lunch funds jeopardized by Biden LGBT rule change
About

Providing up to date online access to information exclusively about Catholicism.

Visit our site map | Privacy Policy | About Us Page.

Streaming Catholic Mass Online

Watch Catholic Mass Online Today.

Find Churches Nearby
Email-Subscription

Sign up for our newsletter to receive the latest news and event postings.

2019 © Catholic Mass Search - Search Catholic Churches and find Mass times while traveling.
Privacy Policy | About Us Page.
Truemag theme by StrictThemes
Change Location
Find awesome listings near you!