We are consecrated to the Lord, set apart, made holy, and children of God by our baptism. And again, at confirmation, as we were anointed His priests, prophets, and kings.
We are a royal priesthood, as St. Peter says in today’s first reading. Let us not take this honor and grace for granted, and let us not be blinded by the ways of the world, for the Lord has saved us. And by walking in the faith and following after our Lord, we can remain Holy. We are not alone in this journey, for we can call upon the saints and the holy angels to help us, for every day is a spiritual warfare against the evil one that prowls about like a roaring lion seeking the ruin of souls.
We can pray to St. Michael the Archangel to help us, or we can even use the powerful weapon of the Holy Rosary. So let us continue each and every day to renounce the works of the enemy and remain Holy as our Heavenly Father is Holy. Amen.
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First reading
1 Peter 2:2-5,9-12 ·
You are a royal priesthood, a people set apart
You are new born, and, like babies, you should be hungry for nothing but milk – the spiritual honesty which will help you to grow up to salvation – now that you have tasted the goodness of the Lord.
He is the living stone, rejected by men but chosen by God and precious to him; set yourselves close to him so that you too, the holy priesthood that offers the spiritual sacrifices which Jesus Christ has made acceptable to God, may be living stones making a spiritual house. But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a consecrated nation, a people set apart to sing the praises of God who called you out of the darkness into his wonderful light. Once you were not a people at all and now you are the People of God; once you were outside the mercy and now you have been given mercy.
I urge you, my dear people, while you are visitors and pilgrims to keep yourselves free from the selfish passions that attack the soul. Always behave honourably among pagans so that they can see your good works for themselves and, when the day of reckoning comes, give thanks to God for the things which now make them denounce you as criminals.
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Gospel
Mark 10:46-52
Go; your faith has saved you
As Jesus left Jericho with his disciples and a large crowd, Bartimaeus (that is, the son of Timaeus), a blind beggar, was sitting at the side of the road. When he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to shout and to say, ‘Son of David, Jesus, have pity on me.’ And many of them scolded him and told him to keep quiet, but he only shouted all the louder, ‘Son of David, have pity on me.’ Jesus stopped and said, ‘Call him here.’ So they called the blind man. ‘Courage,’ they said ‘get up; he is calling you.’ So throwing off his cloak, he jumped up and went to Jesus. Then Jesus spoke, ‘What do you want me to do for you?’ ‘Rabbuni,’ the blind man said to him ‘Master, let me see again.’ Jesus said to him, ‘Go; your faith has saved you.’ And immediately his sight returned and he followed him along the road.
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