One Minute Reflection – 15 November – Readings: First Maccabees 1: 10-15, 41-43, 54-57, 62-63; Psalm 119: 53, 61, 134, 150, 155, 158; Luke 18: 35-43 and the Memorial of St Albert the Great OP (1200-1280) Doctor of the Church
“Your faith has saved you.” – Luke 18:42
REFLECTION – “We must now look at what He said to the blind man as He came near: “What do you want me to do for you?” Was One who could restore light, ignorant of what the blind man wanted? But He wants to be asked, for what He already knows; we shall request and He shall grant. He counsels us to be untiring in our prayers and yet, he says: “For Your Father knows what you need before you ask him” (Mt 6:8). And so He questions that we may ask Him, He questions to rouse our hearts to prayer. …
The blind man does not ask the Lord for gold but for light. He sets little store by asking anything but light … Let us imitate him, dearly beloved … Let us not ask the Lord for deceitful riches, or earthly gifts, or passing honours but for light. And let us not ask for light shut up in one place, or limited by time, or ending with the coming of night. The beasts behold such light just as we do. Let us ask for the light which we can see with angels alone, light without beginning or end. The way to this light is faith. Hence Jesus immediately says to the blind man, who is to be enlightened: “Raise your eyes, your faith has saved you.” – St Pope Gregory the Great (540-604) Father and Doctor of the Church [Homilies on the Gospel, no 2 (Migne) ; PL 76, 1081(trans. Cistercian Fathers]
PRAYER – Lord God, You made St Albert great by his gift for reconciling human wisdom with divine faith. Help us so to follow his teaching that every advance in science may lead us to a deeper knowledge and love of You. May his prayers on our behalf be a succour to us all. Through our Lord Jesus Christ with the Holy Spirit, one God for all eternity, amen.
AnaStpaul 