Homily – 30th Sunday in Ordinary Time (B)

Seeing is not always what it seems is it?  Many of us can remember a time when we thought we had a clear view of things.  It is only in hindsight that we look back and see that perhaps we did not have the whole picture.  We had a blind spot in relation to one particular aspect or dimension of a situation, a person or an event.  There have been some high profile examples of this over the last decades.  Our government’s seemingly late discovery of the impact on the environment, climate change and global warming is such an example.  Is it simply a political awakening or is the evidence at hand now able to remove what some have perceived to be blindness to this emerging contemporary issue? It makes one wonder what kind of blindness we may inadvertently harbour in our own community, in our own homes, and in our own lives.     

The gospel today is an encounter between a blind man and the Lord.  “Let me see” is the blind man’s request.  He knew that left to his own devices he would not be able to see.  He knew that it was only with the help of this man, Jesus, that he would be led to see, led to follow along the road.  In the midst of the believing community gathered around Jesus his sight was returned.  This is the call to us today too.  The fullness of seeing for us is when we see with the eyes of the gospel, with the eyes of the cross and the resurrection.  We have all heard the expression – (s)he is wearing rose coloured glasses.  The Christian is called to wear gospel glasses: to view the world and our interactions through these eyes.  This is not easy.  The Christian must beware of blindness in reading the gospel too.  Many have committed atrocities in the name of Christianity.  The Church itself is not immune from institutional blindness.  

So where does that leave us?  On the road.  We are a community called to look and look again.  We listen to the gospel and receive the body of Christ regularly because it takes a lifetime to overcome the blindness.  That is why we have so many groups and so many formation and information sessions.  That is why we sing, we eat and we pray.  That we may see.  Let our prayer be this week, Lord let me see.  Let’s commit ourselves to questioning one strongly held belief or conviction this week.  Is there another way of looking at it.  What does the gospel bring to bear on it. 

PS.  For other perspectives and views on this week’s gospel have a look at some other reflections in our newsletter each week.  Don’t forget Tom Nunan’s This Sunday Is… and also see Australian Women Preach for another perspective.

By Fr Brendan Reed

Published: 25 October 2024