25 October 2009

Welcome to  St Alban's Anglican Church       

Today's Scripture: Jeremiah 31: 7-9                  Hebrews 7: 23-end                  S. Mark 10: 46-end

Today: 8.35 a.m. Matins; 9.00 a.m. Church School; 9.30 a.m. BCP Holy Eucharist;        6.00 p.m. Evening Prayer; 7.30 p.m. Holy Eucharist at St. Mary’s, DV

This Week: Tues, Thurs-Fri 12.30 pm Midday Prayers.  Wed (SS Simon & Jude) 12.30 pm HC.  Next Week: Sunday 1^st  November  8.30 a.m. Matins; 9.00 Church School; 9.30 a.m. Holy Eucharist.

Twentieth Sunday after Trinity

O Almighty and most merciful God, of thy bountiful goodness keep us, we beseech thee, from all things that may hurt us; that we, being ready both in body and soul, may cheerfully accomplish those things that thou wouldest have done; through Jesus Christ our Lord.

FAITH IN FOCUS:RISING TO THE OCCASION

The blind man in today’s gospel, Bartimaeus, was no shrinking violet. He was a beggar at the entrance to the bustling town of Jericho and if he didn’t make his presence felt then he would go home at the end of the day with nothing to show for his hours in the baking sun. And this affected what he did on the day Jesus passed by.

Bartimaeus didn’t complain about his lot in life; he accepted responsibility for it, not sitting back and expecting someone else to stand in for him because of his disability. And he was strong-minded enough to know what he really needed and wanted: to be able to see. Never giving up hope, he believed that things could be different and that he could change. And when other people told him to be content with his lot he took no notice. He wasn’t bothered about what others would think of him and he resisted their attempts to silence him. This coloured his approach to Jesus since he knew that this might be the only occasion he would ever get to attract Jesus’ attention. Throwing off his official beggar’s coat, jumping up and shouting was a dramatic way of catching Jesus’ eye. But Bartimaeus rose to the occasion and took his chance. And when Jesus cured him, Bartimaeus followed him along the road.

In this short episode we can see our own lives reflected very clearly. In our relationship with God we carry so much baggage that prevents us from seeing things clearly. We can be spiritually blind in so many ways. We can fumble our way through life always several paces away from God. What holds me back from asking for God’s help? Is it because I’m afraid of what others will say and think? Is it because I don’t think now is quite the right time to do it?

Am I prepared to make a definite move in God’s direction, to rise to the occasion with some bold and decisive step to reply to God’s invitation? Do I really want to see? Do I really want to follow? Do I really want a Bartimaeus moment?