GOSPEL READING : Mark 10 : 46-52 :
“THE LAST CRY OF A BELOVED SOUL !”
Have we ever come to the point where we consider ourselves forgotten or rejected by the ones we loved and counted as our first helpers and protectors? Has one ever experienced the inner suffering and sorrow of a solitary person or an invalid who can do nothing else but cry to those going and coming on his daily road of trials? This is an unknown silent world hidden to many of us but Jesus wants us to stop for one minute with him and respond at least to one humble cry of HOPE we cross by on our way and which certainly might be “THE LAST CRY OF A BELOVED SOUL”. We read that many including the disciples didn’t want to hear “Bartimaeus’ last cry” but Jesus did.
A certain city of the Antiquities was attacked by enemies. They killed all male there while women and children were deported as slaves to a foreign unknown land. No survivals remained in the city except a deaf and a blind who lived under the shells of three old chariots that the king had brought back from a battle he had won several years earlier. Every time the king and his army went out for a battle, he told the following to these two invalid who used to come from time to time and beg at the entrance of his palace:
“Beloved citizens, I know you are faithful and humble people. Now, if I and the army die on the battle field, and if the enemy attacks us and tries to enter and occupy this city, do not leave it, do not move from here. If they ask you why, tell them that the king has ordered you to keep there.”
The rusty devices where they lived were exposed in center downtown of the city as a symbol of honor to the king. The blind and the deaf stayed there and were fed by any people who visited these vestiges. Now it happened a certain night and the enemy was there and the city was under occupation. A day passed, two days, three days and the two poor surviving citizens saw nobody approaching their hiding place. So, during the night, they agreed that the next morning as the occupying army will start walking around, the blind one would lift up his hands and cry loudly and appeal for help while the deaf would be praying silently that God may have mercy towards them. This was done as the first soldiers came and sat near the place. As they heard the blind crying they asked him why he was there. “The king ordered me and my friend deaf to keep here and never leave this place”, he replied.
– The king ? the chief military officer asked, which king ?
– Yes, the kiiiiing ! The kiiiiing, the blind man insisted.
– The king ? So, do you need any help from us, the chief military officer asked.
– Yes, food, drinks, blankets, clothes, everything you can get to make us happy.
–
Trembling, the military officer who had understood this was an order issued by HIS OWN KING ordered immediately his battalion to quickly go and get all that the blind and the deaf needed. He also established guards there day and night to serve them just like the soldiers. THE LAST CRY ! Have you understood, dear brethren?
When entering Jericho Jesus had heard the inner secret last cry of Zacchaeus a tax collector in thirst for salvation. And when leaving Jericho, Jesus heard the last cry of a rejected desperate blind man whose hot faith was prepared to catch the miracle of recovering sight.
Yes, Jesus is waiting for us to reach the point where you and I will also issue ‘OUR LAST CRY’ because he has sent faithful disciples on every streets in this world to hear us. But Jesus also teaches us to be the listeners of those desperate cries of the poor, the rejected, the banned ones we meet in the wealthy streets of our abundant lives. No matter what position we might be holding in this world, Jesus will lead us to walk in the humble paths of our ‘last cry’ and also make us instruments that listen to the ‘last cries’ of so many beloved souls around us in the Third World. The Day will come when the Master will tell you “Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. COME AND SHARE YOUR MASTER’S HAPPINESS!”(Matthew 25:21, NIV).
“Hold on to what you have so that no one will take your crown”.(Revelation 3:11, NIV)
May the Peace of God Be With All Of You !
Bishop, Dr Justin Baransananikiye
President,
CHRISTIANS STRENGTHENING CHRISTIANS,
An International Ministry of
The Episcopal free Church- Province of Burundi
P.O. Box 197 Gitega, Burundi
Tel: 257 79 877 097
Email: baransajust@gmail.com
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