ANG TAMANG PANAHON

30^TH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME, CYCLE B

Jer 31: 7 -9 / Ps 126 / Heb 5: 1 – 6 / Mk 10: 46 – 52

We all have our own preoccupations in life. Some are so preoccupied with their career that they are willing to sacrifice marriage. However, some are so interested on marriage that they get married at a very young age. Some are so preoccupied to watch Primetime Telenovelas that they are willing to sacrifice night outs. However, some are so interested in night outs that they are willing to “morning the night.” We call these interests as preoccupations because they occupy a major part of our lives.

This was also the case of Bartimaeus in our Gospel today. Bartimaeus, a blind man from Jericho, sat by the roadside begging for alms. As a blind man, it was his daily preoccupation to collect alms in order to survive. We also have to remember that it was not Jesus’ first time to pass by Jericho because such place was on the route from Galilee to Jerusalem. And so, it is probable that Bartimaeus may have heard about Jesus passing by Jericho for a number of times. However, he did not take notice because he was so preoccupied by his begging for alms.

We are also like Bartimaeus. Our many preoccupations and concerns in life sometimes make us fail to see and recognize Jesus in our lives. Since we are so preoccupied in gaining health and wealth, we easily find excuses not to spend time with God in prayer. No wonder Rico Blanco was right when he said in one of his songs, “kung ayaw may dahilan, kung gusto palaging merong paraan.”

However, Bartimaeus did not forever stay at the roadside begging for alms. Finally, in our narrative today, dumating na ang kanyang Tamang Panahon! Despite the crowd, he cried out to the Lord twice, “Jesus, son of David, have pity on me!” He begged the Lord to make him see. If you notice, he first begged for God’s mercy before asking for the gift of sight. Indeed, it was Bartimaeus’ tamang panahon because he received both spiritual and physical healing from our Lord.

How about us? Dumating na ba ang ating Tamang Panahon? Or have we let our preoccupations occupy so much of our time that we no longer desire to encounter the Lord? Or baka nalipasan na tayo sa panahon because we have already been too comfortable with our own blindness, with our own sinfulness.

Finally, it was Bartimaeus’ faith that made him see. And it was the same faith that made him follow Jesus. Indeed, Bartimaeus’ story is a concrete example on faith as both informative and transformative. Faith informed him of Jesus’ mercy. And such faith also transformed his life forever.  From a beggar he became a disciple. From sitting along the roadside, he walked with the Lord to Jerusalem.

My dear friends, let us try to examine our faith today. If until now we are living in the darkness of sin, then, our faith is lacking. If until now we continue to be blind from the evils surrounding us, then, our faith is lacking.  

We all have our own preoccupations and interests in life. Yesterday, as of 2:07 PM, there were 20.7 million followers of AlDub. Yesterday, dumating na ang taman panahon ni Alden at Yaya. Today, dumating na ang tamang panahon ni Bartimaeus. How about you? Have you truly met Jesus in your life? Has Jesus transformed your life? Dumating na ba ang iyong tamang panahon? Amen.

Photo taken from www.gograph.com