HOMILY OF THURSDAY 8TH WEEK OF ORDINARY TIME — YEAR A

HOMILY OF THURSDAY 8TH WEEK OF ORDINARY TIME — YEAR A

HOMILY THEME: FROM THE SIDE OF THE ROAD TO GOD’S FAMILY

BY: Fr Deotacious Chikontwe SMA

1 Peter 2:2-5, 9-12; Psalm 99(100):2-5; Mark 10:32-42

Have you ever felt completely ignored? Like life is moving fast all around you, but you are stuck on the sidelines, trapped in your own problems?

In today’s Gospel, we meet a man named Bartimaeus. He is blind, poor, and sitting on the side of a dusty road. People walk right past him every day. But the moment he hears that Jesus is nearby, he refuses to stay invisible. He shouts out for help. His story, along with the first reading from Saint Peter, shows us what happens when we decide to stop sitting on the sidelines of life and step into God’s wonderful light.

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About the Gospel Reading

The story of Bartimaeus is a picture of our own spiritual life. At the start, Bartimaeus is sitting by the road, begging. He depends on other people’s leftovers. He cannot see, and he cannot move forward.
When he hears Jesus is coming, he starts to yell: “Jesus, Son of David, have pity on me!”

But look at how the crowd reacts. They tell him to shut up. They basically say, “You don’t matter. Don’t bother the important people.”

How often do we let the world, our own doubts, or our past mistakes stop us from praying? How often do we think, “I’m too broken for God to care about me”?

But Bartimaeus does not give up. He shouts even louder. And then, something amazing happens: Jesus stops. The Creator of the universe stops walking because a poor, blind man called out for help.

When Jesus calls him over, Bartimaeus throws off his coat. For a beggar, that coat was everything—it was his blanket, his warmth, and his security. By throwing it away, he was leaving his old life behind even before he could see.

Jesus asks him a simple question: “What do you want me to do for you?”

Bartimaeus doesn’t ask for money. He says, “Teacher, I want to see.” Jesus heals him instantly. But the most beautiful part is the very last line of the story: Bartimaeus didn’t just walk away happy; he followed Jesus down the road. He went from sitting by the road to walking with Jesus.

From Our First Reading

This is where the first reading from Saint Peter connects. Peter tells us what happens when Jesus opens our eyes. We find out who we really are. We are no longer beggars on the side of the road. Peter says we are “living stones” being built into God’s house.

He gives us some amazing titles:

A Chosen People: God picked you out personally.

A Royal Priesthood: You belong to the King of Kings, and your daily life and prayers are valuable sacrifices to God.

God’s Special Possession: You belong to Him.

Bartimaeus was brought out of physical darkness. We are brought out of the darkness of sadness, loneliness, and sin into God’s “marvelous light.” Because of this, Peter reminds us to live good, honest lives so that when others see the good things we do, they will praise God too.

What We Learn

Never Stop Praying: When people tell you to give up, or when you feel like God isn’t listening, pray even harder. God always hears a sincere heart.

Drop Your Old “Coat”: To follow Jesus, we have to throw away old, bad habits and things that keep us stuck in the past.

You Matter to God: You are not defined by your problems or what others say about you. You are a chosen child of God.

Blessings Mean Action: Bartimaeus didn’t just take his healing and go home. He immediately became a follower. When God helps us, we should use our lives to help and inspire others.

Conclusion

Today, Jesus is passing by our lives, just like He passed by Bartimaeus. He looks at each of us and asks the exact same question: “What do you want me to do for you?”

Let’s be brave like Bartimaeus. Let’s throw off our coats of fear, pride, and laziness. Let’s pray from the heart: “Lord, help me to see. Open my eyes to your love, remind me who I am in your eyes, and help me to follow you every single day.”

The Lord be with You!

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