Theme – The Lord who works marvels
Today’s Gospel reading on “The Blind Bartimaeus” story is a symbol of what we must do to be drawn out of the blindness and misery we experience in life. We are blind and are spiritual outcasts meaning we cannot attain Heaven by ourselves. We need to humble ourselves and see ourselves as people in dire need who are incapable of saving our own souls.
It is easy to become discouraged in life and to lose hope, and our prayer becomes weak and ineffective. We will experience many temptations to give up on our prayer. When such temptations come, we must double our effort and strengthen our resolve. We need to know and believe that God does hear us and His initial silence is His way of inviting us to become closer and to have a deeper level of faith and prayer.
Follow the example of the Blind Bartimaeus, we need to observe the humility of our fallen state, the isolation we experience from our sin, and the perseverance we need to have in prayer. Our Lord will remove the blindness of our heart so that we can follow Him fully every day. Like the Blind Bartimaeus who immediately got up, threw off his cloak and went to our Lord when He calls. We also must be ready and willing to eliminate anything that keeps us from responding to God the moment He calls to us.
The Liturgical colour theme is green in Ordinary Time with green, white, and red.
Green symbolizes spiritual growth in Christ, nurtured by the Church and the Gospel. Green represents new life, anticipation, new beginning, praise, flourishing healing, restoration, and hope. White symbolizes pure faith that listens to God’s voice and believes. Red symbolizes determination, perseverance, and powerful hue that is associated with energy, strength, and passion. Red is a colour that evokes a sense of determination, resilience, and unwavering perseverance.
Petals Ministry of the Church of St Michael
“As disciples of the Petals Ministry, we humbly serve under the Holy Spirit’s guidance, beautifying God’s sacred banquets and worship events. With dedicated hands, we create an atmosphere of reverence and awe in the glorious presence of God.”