Go your way: your faith has saved you…
What does salvation look like?
Most of Jeremiah’s prophecy to the people of Israel was a downer. God sent Jeremiah to tell the people, You can’t win against your enemies, so cut your losses and give up now! But it’s not all gloom and doom. Jeremiah also offers an oracle of restoration: Shout with joy for Jacob – Behold, I will bring them back from the land of the north; I will gather them from the ends of the earth, with the blind and the lame in their midst. God loves God’s people and so God will restore what Assyria had destroyed. Much later, those returning from exile could sing Psalm 126: The Lord has done great things for us; we are filled with joy! Sent home by Cyrus to rebuild their temple, they find their city in ruins, but they know that those who sow in tears shall reap rejoicing! Their salvation lies in the God who loves them infinitely.
In Mark’s Gospel, Jesus’ miracles are intended, in part, to teach people what salvation looks like. When blind Bartimaeus cries out, Jesus, son of David, have pity on me, those around him try to silence him. But Bartimaeus is persistent and Jesus restores his sight: Go your way; your faith has saved you, Jesus tells him. While the disciples are still struggling to see their salvation revealed in the person of Jesus, Bartimaeus is ready to see, and immediately follows Jesus on the way. Jesus will continue to deal patiently with the ignorant and the erring. The Letter to the Hebrews reminds us that, begotten by God, Jesus Christ became the Great and Perfect last high priest, he who, offering himself as a sacrifice for sin once and for all, restored access to God to all who believe. We just need to open our eyes and see… for this is true salvation. Shout with joy!
This post is based on Fr. Pat’s Scripture class.
Image source: www.wordclouds.com
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