Reading 1 1 Pt 2:2-5, 9-12
Like newborn infants, long for pure spiritual milk
so that through it you may grow into salvation,
for you have tasted that the Lord is good.
Come to him, a living stone, rejected by human beings
but chosen and precious in the sight of God,
and, like living stones,
let yourselves be built into a spiritual house
to be a holy priesthood to offer spiritual sacrifices
acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.
You are a chosen race, a royal priesthood,
a holy nation, a people of his own,
so that you may announce the praises of him
who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.
Once you were no people
but now you are God’s people;
you had not received mercy
but now you have received mercy.
Beloved, I urge you as aliens and sojourners
to keep away from worldly desires that wage war against the soul.
Maintain good conduct among the Gentiles,
so that if they speak of you as evildoers,
they may observe your good works
and glorify God on the day of visitation.
Responsorial Psalm PS 100:2, 3, 4, 5
Sing joyfully to the LORD, all you lands;
serve the LORD with gladness;
come before him with joyful song.
R. Come with joy into the presence of the Lord.
Know that the LORD is God;
he made us, his we are;
his people, the flock he tends.
R. Come with joy into the presence of the Lord.
Enter his gates with thanksgiving,
his courts with praise;
Give thanks to him;
bless his name.
R. Come with joy into the presence of the Lord.
The LORD is good:
his kindness endures forever,
and his faithfulness, to all generations.
R. Come with joy into the presence of the Lord.
Alleluia Jn 8:12
I am the light of the world, says the Lord;
whoever follows me will have the light of life.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
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.
"IF ANYONE THIRSTS..." (Jn 7:37)
"Be as eager for milk as newborn babies." –1 Peter 2:2
Some of you may have missed out on Pentecost this year because, even after forty days of Lent and fifty days of Easter, you did not thirst that much for the Holy Spirit. Jesus continues to cry out: "If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me; let him drink who believes in Me. Scripture has it: 'From within him rivers of living water shall flow.' (Here He was referring to the Spirit)" (Jn 7:37-39).
To receive the Spirit, we must thirst. Thirst is one of the strongest human desires, and the thirst of a nursing baby is one of the best examples of this. Thus, the Lord commands us: "Be as eager for milk as newborn babies – pure milk of the Spirit to make you grow unto salvation" (1 Pt 2:2).
If we were not thirsty on Pentecost Sunday, why, on the Thursday after Pentecost, should we expect to be as thirsty as newborn babies for their mothers' milk? We can be this thirsty because the Lord is at work. This week, the Lord has repeatedly called you to stifle the desires of the flesh and thirst for the things of the Spirit (see Gal 5:17). Although Pentecost Sunday may not have been the time you received the Spirit, you may have at least started to thirst a little more for the things of God. Just the grace to read the Bible teaching in this book is God's way of increasing your thirst for the "pure milk of the Spirit."
Maybe your thirst isn't great, but it is greater. Right now, pray for either a greater thirst or a new Pentecost. Receive Pentecost now or very soon. Thirst as an infant thirsts.
| PRAYER: | Father, may I want life in the Spirit more than I want pleasure. |
| PROMISE: | "Jesus asked him, 'What do you want Me to do for you?' 'Rabboni,' the blind man said, 'I want to see.' Jesus said in reply, 'Be on your way. Your faith has healed you.' " –Mk 10:51-52 |
| PRAISE: | St. Philip was a teacher, but sold all his books, gave to the poor, and became "the lovable saint." |
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