October 24, 2021 – 22nd Sunday after Pentecost

This is a brief reflection.  The service also included an Instructed Eucharist.)

“We need to realize that Christ is continually praying for us in our daily lives, and to believe that he will act in our lives.”

I speak to you in the Name of he Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.  Amen.

Your bulletin says “brief reflection” because you’re getting lots of teaching today – so just a little bit.

From the Collect Prayer today we prayed these words, “… free us from the tyranny of sin and death, and by the leading of your Spirit bring us to our promised land.”  How do you interpret that for yourself – for ourselves?  I think many of us see it as applying mainly to the end of our lives.  In other words, “help us eventually end this life and be with you in heaven, oh God.”  But ‘living in our promised land’ also means living in and under the covenant of God’s love now – in this life – living life according to God’s loving will now.  So let’s focus that prayer for ourselves now – in our daily lives - and not just at the end of this life.

In the second Reading, from Hebrews, we see the risen Christ portrayed as a great high priest – always able to reconcile us to God – to lead us into righteousness – a right relationship with God.  And the author of Hebrews compares Christ’s role to that of the high priest in Jerusalem’s temple in his day.  After showing how our high priest serves forever, the author says these words, “Consequently, he is able for all time to save those who approach God through him since he always lives to make intercession for them.  He refers to the Christ that saves, heals, delivers, guides, frees, empowers – those who approach God through Christ.

And then in the Gospel Reading we have the blind beggar, Bartimaeus.  And he learns that Jesus of Nazareth is part of this large crowd that he can hear walking by him on the edge of Jericho.  He shouts out, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!”  There are two things that stand out immediately in his words.  “Son of David” – it is a title for God’s Messiah.  And secondly, the blind beggar has hope that Jesus will respond to him, and faith that Jesus can restore his sight.  And what is Jesus’ response?  ‘Go, your faith has made you well.”  In Bartimaeus’s response he regains his sight, and then he follows Jesus on the way.  Don’t miss that piece.  “He follows Jesus on the way” – he becomes one of this disciples.

So what are these readings collectively saying to us?  Jesus, our great High Priest, is interceding and praying for us 24/7 - in all of the challenges and opportunities that fill our lives, our relationships – every day.  They are part of his prayers for us.  What do we need to do?  Just like the blind beggar, we need to recognize and embrace that reality and then have the faith to believe that the living Christ can and will guide us, prompt us, deliver us, empower us, and heal us.  In all things to expect and trust that Christ is leading us as we follow him on his way.

Amen.