30th Sunday Ordinary

SUNDAY 25TH OCTOBER 2009 Thirtieth Sunday of the Year [CYCLE B] MAIN MESSAGE

[This is for reference only. Please do not read it at Mass] Today we speak to the children about eyes and sight. The gospel story is that of blind Bartimaeus, who asked Jesus to give him his sight. We observe that it was after he received his sight that he began to follow Jesus. We all need to ask God to help us see: to be able to see with the inner eyes of faith. Mother Teresa was able to see Christ in the Eucharist as well as in the poor and suffering. That is why she was able to follow Jesus so closely. We too are encouraged to ask God for sight, as the beggar did. We ask him to open our inner eyes, or eyes of the heart. Then we will be able to see Jesus and to follow him better.

INTRODUCTION: Celebrant: • Children, look around the church and tell me what you can see… [We can see the altar, flowers, candles, statues, windows, a golden box.. which is called the tabernacle… the priest, teachers, friends.] That’s good! You can see all this because your eyes are open and working well. • Maybe there are some people here who can see something more… Something that others can’t see so well. That is because their inner eyes are open. We sometimes call them the eyes of our heart. Today we will be talking about eyes and about seeing. LITURGY OF THE WORD: Commentator: God is a loving father. He wants to gather his children and bring them home. He gathers even the blind and the lame, because he wants all of them to come home. First Reading: Jeremiah 31:7-9. Commentator: As the people were coming home, they sang a happy song. We also will sing that song. Psalm: 126:1-2ab; 4-5;6. Commentator: Now we will hear the true story of a beggar called Bartimaeus. He had heard about Jesus, but he couldn’t go and search for him because he was blind. But one day, as he was sitting at the side of the road in his usual place, Jesus came by. Gospel: Mark 10:46-52.

Homily: • Were you listening to the story about the blind beggar? What was he doing before Jesus came by? [Sitting at the side of the road, begging.] •

Then when he heard that Jesus was passing by, he shouted out at the top of his voice, “Jesus, Son of David, have pity on me!” Jesus stopped and told the people to call him. How happy Bartimaeus was! He threw off his cloak and ran to Jesus as fast as a blind man could. Then Jesus asked him, “What do you want me to do for you?” and Bartimaeus answered, “Master, let me see!” Jesus healed him. His eyes were opened.

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Do you remember what the beggar did next? [He followed Jesus along the way.]

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Dear friends, Jesus wants all of us to follow him, just as Bartimaeus did. But many of us are blind, and so we cannot follow Jesus properly. Why am I saying that we are blind?

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When I asked you at the beginning of the mass what you could see, you told me flowers, statues, people… but no one said, “I can see God!” And yet, God is here! He is here in the tabernacle. He is here in all of us. What kind of eyes do we need to see God? [We need our inner eyes: the eyes of our heart.]

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Last week you heard about Mother Teresa, and how she and her sisters looked after the dying. One man called her a ‘goddess’ because he could see something very godly in her.

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Mother Teresa’s inner eyes were open and working well, that is why she was able to follow Jesus so well. When Mother came into a church she could see Jesus in the tabernacle. When she received communion, she could see Jesus coming into her. That is why she would sit for many hours in the chapel.

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Mother could also see Jesus outside the church. When she saw sad, poor, hungry, or sick people she saw Jesus. And so she would wash them, feed them and look after them.

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Children, Jesus wants you t follow him, and if you ask him to [just as the blind beggar did], he will open your inner eyes.

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Everyday, when you wake up say, “Jesus, open the eyes of my heart. I want to see you!” If you do this every day, you will start seeing Jesus. You will be able to pray better. You will become more loving to others. You will see him smiling at you in a beautiful tree, or in a kind friend. Then like blind Bartimaeus and like Mother Teresa, you will be able to follow him closely.

APPROPRIATE HYMNS ENTRANCE: God Our Father Looks On Us With Love OFFERTORY: What Can We Bring to Offer COMMUNION: Open the Eyes of My Heart/ Open My Eyes Lord RECESSIONAL: One More Step Along the Way I Go

PREPARATION REQUIRED: •

Practice the readings. • Make poster and put up.

FIRST READING: A reading from the prophet Jeremiah: The Lord says, “Celebrate and rejoice for Israel, the greatest nation of all.” Praise him and shout, ‘The Lord has saved his people. He has saved those who are left of his people.” “I will bring my people back from that country in the north and from everywhere else. The blind and the lame will be there. Expectant mothers and women who are about to give birth will return and be part of that great crowd. They will cry and pray as I bring them home. They won’t stumble as I will lead them along a level road to streams of water. PSALM: Response: The Lord has done great things for us; are filled Itwe seemed like awith joy.Our Lord, we ask you to We cried on the way dream to plant our seeds, bless our people again, when the Lord but we will and let us be like streams brought us celebrate in the southern desert. back to the city of and shout as we We cried out as we went Zion. bring in the crops. out to plant our seeds. Now let us celebrate ALLELUIA: Alleluia, alleluia. Our Saviour Jesus Christ has done away with death and brought us life through the gospel. Alleluia. PRAYERS OF THE FAITHFUL: Celebrant: Dear friends, God wants us to see him everywhere and to follow him. But we are a bit blind. Let us ask God to open the eyes of our hearts so that we see him better. Response: Lord, open the eyes of our hearts! Think of all the fathers of this church, or any other priests you know. Think of sisters and missionaries. Ask God to open the eyes of their hearts. (Short silence) Let us pray together. 2. Now bring all your family members before God. Imagine them standing here in front of the altar. Also bring your friends, your neighbours. Ask God to bless them. Let us pray together… 3. Last of all, bring yourself before God. Ask God to help you to see him 1.

GOSPEL: Mark.

A reading from the holy Gospel according to St.

Jesus and his disciples went to Jericho. As they were leaving, they were followed by a large crowd. A blind beggar whose name was Bartimaeus, son of Timaeus was sitting beside the road. When he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he shouted, “Jesus, Son of David, have pity on me!” Many people told the man to stop, but he shouted even louder, “Son of David, have pity on me!” Jesus stopped and said, “Call him here!” They called out to the blind man and said, “Don’t be afraid! Come on! He is calling for you.” The man threw off his cloak as he jumped up and ran to Jesus. Jesus asked, “What do you want me to do for you?” The blind man answered, NB. All Readings are taken from the ‘Lectionary for Masses with Children’