Eastern Africa Dominican Friars

Thursday in the Eighth Week of the Church Year 

Saint for the day: St. Joan of Arc (1412-1431)

Scripture Readings for today's Liturgy:

Sirach 42:15-25

Psalm 33

Mark 10:46-52

“How beautiful are all his works! Even to the spark and fleeting vision! … For each in turn, as it comes, is good; can one ever see enough of their splendor?” (Sirach 42:23ff)

I always seem to have music in my ears and the words of a song heard long ago are ringing today as I ponder the Holy Scriptures appointed for today’s liturgy. “Can you see what I see?...”

Then, I read the Sirach reading with the words that I quoted, above, “… even to the spark and fleeting vision.” Even those of us who think we have good vision often miss things that are right in front of our eyes. Just ask the friars that I live with how often I have to cry out for help in finding something that I thought for sure I had put right there! This has to remind us that “seeing” requires more than just sight.

The blind man in today’s Holy Gospel is named,   Bartimaeus, son of Timaeus. I looked up the meaning of the name, “Timaeus” which might mean, “to listen.” So, Bartimaeus first “heard” that Jesus was near even though he couldn’t see him and he cries out, “Messiah! Have pity on me I am a poor beggar.”

When Jesus calls him forward he does an incredible thing: he throws off his cloak and sprang up (like a sighted person) and went to Jesus.

Blind people don’t often just throw things around. They’re very carful to place things in a way that they will be able to find then again. So, right from the get-go, Bartimaeus must have had faith that he would be healed.

But we also know from other healings of blindness in the Gospels that there is more to seeing than just seeing. Even in dialogues we often say, “Yes, I see” meaning I understand.

Did Bartimaeus “understand” what “seeing” would mean for him? The Gospel says, “Immediately he received his sight and followed him (Jesus) on the way.” Did he know that Jesus was on the way to Jerusalem for His final act of love?

Just for today, try to think what it would mean if you asked Jesus, “I want to SEE!” I’ll leave it at that and you can add the “Amen” when you get your answer.

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Wednesday in the Eighth Week of the Church Year 

Saint for the day: St. Maximinus of Trier (Died: 347)

Scripture Readings for today's Liturgy:

Sirach 36:1 … 17

Psalm 79

Mark 10:32-45

“Jesus said, ‘You know that those who are recognized as rulers over the Gentiles lord it over them … but it shall not be so among you … whoever wishes to be first among you will be the slave of all.’” (the ending words from today’s Holy Gospel.)

“Service” seems to be the operative word in much of the Gospels yet we don’t have to look very far askance at any part of our world today to see that most “leadership” seeks the reward and notoriety before giving service and having care for those whom they were sent to lead.

The newly elected Parliament here in Kenya, just voted themselves handsome bonus packages and lucrative retirement deals while significant numbers of people here live well below the poverty line. The fact that protestors brought and placed a mother pig and her 12 piglets in front of the Parliament Building – each one painted with a red “M-Pigs” sign says something about our leadership. I wonder if the protesters did that with knowledge of the Old Testament aversion to pigs?

When challenged about these outrageous “perks” one MP said, “Look at it this way: we’ve brought dignity to our profession!” Imagine!

Where do the ending words of today’s Holy Gospel fit into the leadership around our world? “Rather, (Jesus speaks) whoever wishes to be great among you will be your servant; whoever wishes to be first among you will be the slave of all. For the Son of Man did not come to be served but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

Let those who have ears to hear – hear the words of this Holy Gospel. Amen!

For your information use this Link to BBC comment on MP's saleries

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Tuesday in the Eighth Week of the Church Year 

Saint for the day: St. Mary Ann of Jesus of Paredes (1614-1645)

Scripture readings for today's Liturgy:

Sirach 35:1-12

Psalm 50

Mark 10:28-31

“The Lord is one who always repays, and he will give back to you sevenfold. But offer no bribes, these he does not accept!” (Sirach 35:30)

The quote above holds a lot of wisdom for us in that it lays it square on the line: “Yes! God gives in abundance for those who desire to follow Him. But we have to work hard at making our following of Jesus be free of any kind of cohersion or bribe. But most of us who live in a “dog-eat-dog” kind of world have to struggle with making our love of God be pure and not tainted with conditions.

Peter’s response to Jesus in today’s Holy Gospel is common to all of us: “What about us? We’ve left all to follow you. What’s in it for us?

The answer might not be totally the one we wanted: “… you will receive a hundred times more… in this present age … along with persecutions, and eternal life in the age to come.” (Mark 10:30)

The “hundred fold” comes but not as we expected – “But many that are first will be last, and the last will be first.”

This is not an easy task no matter which way you try to cut it. But don’t worry about trying to be a philanthropist … just give way to the person who cuts you off at the intersection. Or, let somebody go ahead of you in the buffet line even though you can see that there’s only one of those “goody-goody things” left.

But don’t do that, thinking, “I’ll let them go first” on the basis that they might bring out something much better! That’s what Sirach says is “bribing God.” And that’s where “Gospel Love” – the unconditional type – is needed. And the only way to achieve that kind of love is to realize that God loved you first. Warts and all! Once we realize that, we’re on the way. And all of a sudden, we’re seeing the blessings of God in abundance. But you can’t turn that around or it just won’t work. Amen!

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Monday in the Eighth Week of the Church Year. 

Saint for the day: St. Augustine of Canterbury (d. 605?)

Scripture Readings for today's liturgy:

Sirach 17:20-24

Psalm 32

Mark 10:17-27

The young man in today’s Holy Gospel is the ”everyman” for us who want to know what we need to do to enter into the Kingdom of Heaven. The answer he gets from Jesus, however, isn’t what he wanted to hear. For me, as I get closer and closer to the date for me departure from Kenya, this Gospel hit me square in the face and I slump back sad, “because I have many possessions” collected in my almost eight years serving as a Dominican missionary.

As I sort through the “stuff” stashed in boxes and on bookshelves in my small room each item reminds me of some endeavor or project that I was involved in and that accomplished a good end and helped people on their journey toward the Kingdom. That’s not a bad thing. Jesus, Himself, used “visual aids” to drive home what He was telling His followers. “Look at the lilies of the field…” Or the image from today’s Holy Gospel, “It will be easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle…”

As word gets around that I am leaving Kenya and returning to my home Province in the US I’m getting notes from people telling me of the various ways in which I helped them in past situations. Most of these comments don’t involve things or objects but ways in which I spoke or said something that helped them to continue on their own, personal journey.

One of the things that I harp on with our young friars here in Kenya is the admonition not to put too much focus on getting a “job” or a particular “ministry.” I tell them, “Just focus on becoming a good Dominican – prayerful and loving – and the rest will just naturally fall into place.

Now, after saying all this, I still have to go back to my room where there are stacks of “things” that I’ve collected over the years being here. How do I sort through all of this and still hear the words of Jesus in today’s Holy Gospel: “don’t let your possessions take possession of you. If you can walk away from these “things” you’ll have treasure in Heaven.”

I’m sure that we all have a long way to go in this regard. Amen!

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I’d like to hear from you to know that you’re getting these reflections. Use this link to go to my "home page" where you’ll find more stories and pictures along with a link to e-mail me: