Thirtieth Sunday in Ordinary Time
Gospel Commentary, by Msgr. João Scognamligio Clá Dias, EP
See also: Like a Blind Man by the Roadside, by Pope St. Gregory the Great
Featured Saints
St. Anthony Mary Claret, bishop. Optional Memorial. Born in Catalonia, Spain, he founded the Congregation of Missionaries Sons of the Immaculate Heart of Mary (Claretians) and was appointed Archbishop of Cuba. He returned to Spain and was the confessor of Queen Isabel II. He suffered much in the life at court to maintain an irreproachable conduct. He died in 1870 in the Abbey of Fontfroide, France.
St. Louis Guanella, priest (†1915). Founded the Congregation of the Servants of Charity and the Daughters of St. Mary of Providence in Como, Italy, to attend to the needs of the poorest and most afflicted, and to seek their salvation.
St. Proclus, bishop (†446). Patriarch of Constantinople, he fearlessly proclaimed the Divine Motherhood of Mary and transferred the body of St. John Chrysostom to this city.
St. Magloire, bishop (circa 605). He was a disciple of St. Iltude in the monastery of Llantwit, Wales, together with his cousin, St. Samson, future Bishop of Dol, whom he succeeded in this diocese.
St. Fromundus, bishop (†seventh century). Founded the monastery of nuns of Ham and exercised the pastoral ministry in Coutances, present-day France.
St. Martin of Vertou, deacon and abbot (†sixth century). Ordained by St. Felix, Bishop of Nantes, France, he was sent to evangelize pagans in neighbouring regions. He built and ruled the monastery of Vertou.
St. Joseph Lê Ðăng Thi, martyr (†1860). Vietnamese army officer, imprisoned, tortured and strangled to death for being Christian.
Blessed Joseph Baldo, priest (†1915). Founder of the Congregation of the Little Daughters of St. Joseph. As a fruit of his ardent Eucharistic devotion, he dedicated himself to works of charity and catechesis in Verona, Italy.
Mass Readings
First Reading – Jer 31:7-9
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.
Responsorial Psalm – Ps 126:1-2, 2-3, 4-5, 6 (R.3)
R. The Lord has done great things for us; we are filled with joy.
When the LORD brought back the captives of Zion,
we were like men dreaming.
Then our mouth was filled with laughter,
and our tongue with rejoicing. R.
Then they said among the nations,
“The LORD has done great things for them.”
The LORD has done great things for us;
we are glad indeed. R.
Restore our fortunes, O LORD,
like the torrents in the southern desert.
Those that sow in tears
shall reap rejoicing. R.
Although they go forth weeping,
carrying the seed to be sown,
They shall come back rejoicing,
carrying their sheaves. R.
Second Reading – Heb 5:1-6
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.
Gospel – Mk 10:46-52
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.
