Reflection on the Fourteenth Sunday of Luke
Luke 18:35-43, Mark 10:46-52
Luke 18:35-43, Mark 10:46-52
The blind man of Jericho raised up his voice when he learned that the Lord was walking past. His wail reached the Lord; nothing surrounding the Lord could interfere with His hearing it, and the Lord called the blind man over and returned his sight. At every time and in every place the Lord does not just walk by, but is there; He governs the whole world. As human thinking would have it, this means that He has many cares; furthermore, multitudes of angels surround Him with doxologies. But if you are able to raise up your voice like the blind man of Jericho, nothing will stop your wail from reaching the Lord; He will hear and fulfill your petition. It does not depend on the Lord; He Himself is near, and all that is necessary for you is already prepared in Him; now all that is wanting is you.
Manage to raise up your voice to the measure of the Lord’s hearing, and you will immediately receive everything. What then is this measure? Faith, hope, devotion to God’s will. But even these measures have their own measures. What then should these measures be? Ask the one who has prayed and received what he requested; he will say to you: “I prayed about this and about that and I received according to my request; now I need this, I have been praying and have not received it, and I know why: because I cannot in any way ascend to that measure of prayer which I had earlier.” It turns out that it is impossible to determine this measure with literal preciseness. Only one thing is definitely true, that the matter depends upon us, and not on the Lord. As soon as you reach the point where you are capable of acceptance, you will unquestionably receive.
Manage to raise up your voice to the measure of the Lord’s hearing, and you will immediately receive everything. What then is this measure? Faith, hope, devotion to God’s will. But even these measures have their own measures. What then should these measures be? Ask the one who has prayed and received what he requested; he will say to you: “I prayed about this and about that and I received according to my request; now I need this, I have been praying and have not received it, and I know why: because I cannot in any way ascend to that measure of prayer which I had earlier.” It turns out that it is impossible to determine this measure with literal preciseness. Only one thing is definitely true, that the matter depends upon us, and not on the Lord. As soon as you reach the point where you are capable of acceptance, you will unquestionably receive.