Do Not Bow To Intimidation

 

Life is full of intimidating challenges.

Reflection on Today’s Readings, Monday of 3rd Week of Ordinary Time, Year I, Nov. 20th, 2023
Texts: 1Maccabees 1:10-15.41-43.54-57.62-64; Psalm 119:53,61,134,150,155,158; Luke 18:35-43 

                                    Do not bow to intimidation

Today’s gospel reading is the story of how a blind man got his sight. Jesus Christ restored to him his sight. The blind man teaches us not to bow down to intimidation. Why he was crying to Jesus for mercy, the people there shouted him down. We read, “And those who were in front rebuked him, telling him to be silent”. However, did he surrender to their intimidation? Never did he submit to their intimidation. We read, “but he cried out all the more, ‘Son of David, have mercy on me!’" 

More over, we may ask, “Did Jesus shout him down too? No, He did not. St. Luke says, “And  Jesus stopped, and commanded him to be brought to him; and when he came near, he asked him, ‘What do you want me to do for you?’" The man answered, "Lord, let me receive my sight." His refusal to bow down to intimidation proved his faith to Jesus. This tells us that life always give us situation that demands for proof of our faith. The blind man passed his test of life. Let us not fail our own test of life, for it will surely come. 

Did he get what he wanted?

We may also ask, “Did he get what he wanted?” Yes, he got it, for Jesus says, "Receive your sight; your faith has made you well." St. Luke comments thus: “And immediately he received his sight and followed him, glorifying God; and all the people, when they saw it, gave praise to God.” 

Today’s first reading is the story of how the people of God faced test of life. Life gave them situation that demanded from them proof of their faith. Some people failed the test of life. We read, “In those days lawless men came forth from Israel, and misled many, saying, ‘Let us go and make a covenant with the Gentiles round about us, for since we separated from them many evils have come upon us.’" They proved they no longer had faith in God to save them from evil. They are not good examples for us to follow.  

However, many people passed the test of life, proving their faith in God. We read, “But many in Israel stood firm and were resolved in their hearts not to eat unclean food. They chose to die rather than to be defiled by food or to profane the holy covenant; and they did die.” This tells us that God will always have people on His side.  

Do not bow to intimidating power of life

Life is full of intimidating challenges that want to suppress us. Like the blind man of today, we are not to surrender to them. There are challenges like fear, apprehension or uncertainty that often intimidate us, saying, “stop, it will not succeed”, “it will not work”, “Do not waste your resources”, etc. We are not to bow down to them.   

God our Father, fill us with courage not to bow down to the intimidating power of life; may we surmount every intimidating power of life by your grace and prove our faith in You. Amen  

Fr. Andrew Olowomuke