Daily Gospel Reflection
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November 15, 2021
As Jesus approached Jericho
a blind man was sitting by the roadside begging,
and hearing a crowd going by, he inquired what was happening.
They told him,
“Jesus of Nazareth is passing by.”
He shouted, “Jesus, Son of David, have pity on me!”
The people walking in front rebuked him,
telling him to be silent,
but he kept calling out all the more,
“Son of David, have pity on me!”
Then Jesus stopped and ordered that he be brought to him;
and when he came near, Jesus asked him,
“What do you want me to do for you?”
He replied, “Lord, please let me see.”
Jesus told him, “Have sight; your faith has saved you.”
He immediately received his sight
and followed him, giving glory to God.
When they saw this, all the people gave praise to God.
“Lord, please let me see.” was a frequent aspiration of St. Josemaría Escrivá as he sought to understand what God was calling him to do with his life. When he finally saw it, he ecstatically carried it out, and it bore abundant fruit.
Like him, you and I are called to be saints, to live lives of holiness no matter our state in life or profession—janitor, professor, engineer, mailman, student, parent, or sibling. The list is endless.
How can we achieve sanctity in our ordinary lives? The most comprehensive answer is prayer. We can take a couple of minutes to pray in silence to our Lord, attend Mass, and frequent the other sacraments. We can say the rosary with our family, our roommates, or our friends. We can offer our entire day to God every day in order to “pray unceasingly”. Prayer takes many forms, but its essence is simply a conversation with God.
We can also learn from the blind man in today’s gospel.
There we are, walking in the middle of the crowd, and we hear an indistinct shout coming from the side of the road. As we come closer, we can hear a man who appears to be blind calling out after Jesus. Suddenly, Jesus stops. He waves at you and me to bring the blind man towards him. It seems silly of Jesus to ask the man what he desires, but the simplicity with which the man asks for sight astounds us. The opportunity Jesus gave him to make his request no longer seems pointless but generous and transformational.
Lord, may we always have the faith of the blind man. May we be guided by St. Josemaría’s example to turn every moment of our lives into an opportunity for prayer. May whatever sight you generously give us help us to walk, like the blind man, in your footsteps.
Prayer
Lord Jesus, the blind man knew what he needed, and wasn’t afraid to keep asking aloud. Grant us his persistence and courage. You know we have many needs. In voicing them, we give voice to the needs of all, and thus bring your healing to all. Remove our fear and timidity, please, so that we can bring your healing to others. Amen.
Saint of the Day
St. Albert the Great was one of the Church’s greatest scholars.
Albert was born into an upper-class German family in 1206 and, accordingly, received some of the best education in Europe. Albert spent most of his education at the University of Padua. Despite his family’s disapproval, he joined the Dominicans, and he furthered his education by studying theology in Bologna. He taught at universities in Regensburg, Cologne, and Freiburg. Finally, in 1245, Albert became a master of theology and shortly after began to teach theology at the University of Paris. It was during his tenure at the College of St. James at the University of Paris that Albert taught his most famous pupil—Thomas Aquinas.
Albert was largely responsible for bringing the writings of Aristotle back in to the academic conversation. Albert believed that Aristotle's approach to the natural sciences and philosophy was not in opposition to Christianity, but, in fact, could be a useful support to Christians seeking to understand God's work in the world. Albert wrote an encyclopedic commentary on philosopher Peter Lombard's Book of the Sentences. His pupil, Thomas, eventually wrote his own Summa Theologiae largely inspired by Albert's work. Albert was a true polymath and wrote extensively on natural science, logic, music, mathematics, astronomy, metaphysics, natural law, economics, and politics.
Albert introduced, or welcomed, the study of Greek and Arabic, and paved the way for a renewed interest in Aristotle’s works, which fueled Thomas Aquinas’ study of Aristotle.
Albert was a brilliant scientist and a prolific theologian. In a commentary on the Gospel of Luke, he wrote the following about the Eucharistic command to "Do this in remembrance of me":
"He could not have commanded anything more lovable, for this sacrament produces love and union. It is a characteristic of the greatest love to give itself as food. As if to say: 'I have loved them and they have loved me so much that I desire to be with them, and they wish to receive me so that they may become my members. There is no more intimate or more natural means for them to be united to me, and I to them.'"
Albert is known as the “light of Germany” and was given the title “great” because of the depth and breadth of his knowledge. He has been declared a doctor of the Church, a title given to thirty-seven saints who are known for elucidating the faith by their teaching or example.
Albert the Great is the patron saint of scientists, philosophers, and students—for this reason, his statue is featured on the facade of the Jordan Hall of Science. The chapel in Zahm Hall is named after Albert the Great, because he is the namesake of the brother of Father John Zahm, C.S.C. Albert Zahm. Albert Zahm studied at Notre Dame in the 1880s and was a pioneer in flight. Albert Zahm is buried in the Holy Cross Cemetery on campus. A statue of St. Albert the Great stands in the chapel in Zahm Hall.
Albert died in Cologne in 1280. Some of St. Albert's relics rest in the reliquary chapel in the Basilica.
Albert the Great, whose faith sought understanding of all things and who used reason to seek a deeper knowledge of God—pray for us!