Post-feast of the Transfiguration; Holy Martyr Euplus (304)
Dormition Fast.
Read
1 Corinthians 1:26-29; Matthew 20:29-34
Today’s gospel should be read in the context of Jesus’ journey to Jerusalem, to the place where he will be crucified. These blind men at the gates of Jericho, on the road to Jerusalem, are a reminder of how the disciples continued to be blind to the true meaning of Jesus’ mission – that he was going to be handed over to the authorities and condemned to death, and raised on the third day. But, like the blind men, after the
We can often lose sight of the centrality of the cross in our own lives. When something bad happens, we ask “Why me, Lord? Why am I being punished?” As hard as it is (and sometimes it is very hard), we have to stop at those moments and remember that we’re being called to share in Jesus’ cross in order to share in his kingdom. As Paul says, writing from prison to the Colossians, “Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh I am filling up what is lacking in Christ’s afflictions for the sake of his body, that is, the church.” (Col 1:24) Joined with Christ, we can destroy the powers of sin and death that torment us by participating in Christ’s cross, and his kingdom will become a reality in our lives and the whole world.