R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Our Savior Jesus Christ destroyed death
and brought life to light through the Gospel.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

As Jesus was leaving Jericho with his disciples and a sizable crowd,
Bartimaeus, a blind man, the son of Timaeus,
sat by the roadside begging.
On hearing that it was Jesus of Nazareth,
he began to cry out and say,
“Jesus, son of David, have pity on me.”
And many rebuked him, telling him to be silent.
But he kept calling out all the more,
“Son of David, have pity on me.”
Jesus stopped and said, “Call him.”
So they called the blind man, saying to him,
“Take courage; get up, Jesus is calling you.”
He threw aside his cloak, sprang up, and came to Jesus.
Jesus said to him in reply, “What do you want me to do for you?”
The blind man replied to him, “Master, I want to see.”
Jesus told him, “Go your way; your faith has saved you.”
Immediately he received his sight
and followed him on the way.

“Lord, I want to see.”  The Lord calls the blind man — Bartimaeus —by name.  Bartimaeus is a man of Fatih, “Lord, Son of David, have pity on me.” He sees everything in the Light of Christ; the miraculous gift of both his physical sight as well as his spiritual sight is a reflection of faith. The former life of the blind beggar is transformed into new life as a disciple of Jesus Christ through faith.

The miracle is about healing spiritual blindness because Christ calls each of us by name but sin can get in the way of us hearing His call.  We can suffer from spiritual blindness due to anger, jealousy, hatred, evil habits, and addiction. We may or may not recognize it, but we have a dire need to seek the Light of the Holy Spirit to end our own darkness. The Holy Spirit will grant us the proper spiritual vision but we need to be like Bartimaeus and call out.

A suggestion: try to see Jesus in a spiritual way in a person or in the persons that you are in touch with throughout your day. Try showing that one person, or persons, genuine respect and reverence; for example, your spouse, your child, your parents, the people you work with, the shop keeper, the neighbor.  Try to see Jesus in them in a spiritual way. Because you are calling out, “Jesus, I want to see!” And so are they! Have faith that the Holy Spirit will help you to be like Jesus for one another.

Consider the picture of “the valley of life:” Sometimes it is a valley of darkness but, “Fear not evil, for He is at your side.”  Sometimes the valley gives view to a mountain where maybe you glimpse the Light shining down. Consider that in this “valley of tears” as it is called in the Hail, Holy Queen, there is a bridge. That bridge is Jesus Christ, the Priest forever, who offers you passage out of darkness across Himself. You are called, by name, out of this darkened valley, up to the mountain of His Eternal Light.

Finally, consider that in ancient Greece, crossing the finish line first was not what won the race!  A runner had to cross the finish line with lighted torch still burning for all to see.  Let us together now offer the Mass, praying that we may each run the race, full of faith, with spiritual light intact and with sight restored. And if the valley seems too dark to run through, pray each day, simply, in the words of Bartimaeus: “Lord I want to see.”

Monsignor Michael J. Cariglio, Jr., Rector, Our Lady of Mount Carmel Basilica and Saint Anthony Parish

Thus says the LORD:
Shout with joy for Jacob,
exult at the head of the nations;
proclaim your praise and say:
The LORD has delivered his people,
the remnant of Israel.
Behold, I will bring them back
from the land of the north;
I will gather them from the ends of the world,
with the blind and the lame in their midst,
the mothers and those with child;
they shall return as an immense throng.
They departed in tears,
but I will console them and guide them;
I will lead them to brooks of water,
on a level road, so that none shall stumble.
For I am a father to Israel,
Ephraim is my first-born.

Brothers and sisters:
Every high priest is taken from among men
and made their representative before God,
to offer gifts and sacrifices for sins.
He is able to deal patiently with the ignorant and erring,
for he himself is beset by weakness
and so, for this reason, must make sin offerings for himself
as well as for the people.
No one takes this honor upon himself
but only when called by God,
just as Aaron was.
In the same way,
it was not Christ who glorified himself in becoming high priest,
but rather the one who said to him:
You are my son:
this day I have begotten you;
just as he says in another place:
You are a priest forever
according to the order of Melchizedek.

It has long been a Catholic understanding that when circumstances prevent one from receiving Holy Communion, it is possible to make an Act of Spiritual Communion, which is a source of grace. Spiritual Communion is an ardent desire to receive Jesus in the Most Holy Sacrament and lovingly embrace him at a time or in circumstances when one cannot receive Him in sacramental Communion. The most common reason for making an Act of Spiritual Communion is when a person cannot attend Mass. Acts of Spiritual Communion increase our desire to receive sacramental Communion and help us avoid the sins that would make us unable to receive Holy Communion worthily.

Spiritual Communion Prayer

My Jesus, I believe that you are present in the Most Holy Sacrament.

I love you above all things and I desire to receive you in my soul.

Since I cannot at this moment receive you sacramentally,

Come at least spiritually into my heart.

I embrace you as if you were already there

And unite myself wholly to you.

Never permit me to be separated from you.

Amen.