Finding God on the Detours - Weekday Homily Video

Have you ever been driving somewhere with a tight schedule, feeling good about your trip, and then suddenly run into roadwork, see the orange-and-black sign, and a mystery detour? Yesterday morning, while driving to the audiologist’s office to drop off my Dad’s hearing aids, that’s what happened.  

At first, like all good Boston drivers, I was completely calm, well, not really! The detour increased my trip by about 5 minutes, but as I was speaking to the receptionist, the audiologist came out and asked if she could help. She told me she had just had a cancellation and could work on the hearing aids right away. Then she added something striking: “I heard your voice and remembered it.”  

I Heard Your Voice

That simple sentence stayed with me: “I heard your voice and remembered it.”

In today’s Gospel, Bartimaeus encounters Jesus not through sight, but through hearing. Mark tells us that “on hearing that it was Jesus of Nazareth,” Bartimaeus began to cry out, “Jesus, Son of David, have pity on me!”

Bartimaeus was blind, and so he couldn’t see Jesus passing by. He couldn’t see the crowds or the miracles. But he can hear. And somehow, in the sound of the crowd and the mention of Jesus’ name, he recognizes that this is the moment….

There is something powerful about recognizing a voice. A familiar voice can bring comfort and hope. In the same way, the disciples also learn to recognize the voice of the Lord.

Hearing Clearly

That’s really the heart of today’s Gospel. Bartimaeus hears that Jesus is near, and he refuses to let the moment pass. Even when the crowd tells him to be silent, he persists, crying out all the more loudly. He knows that if he can reach Jesus, his life can be transformed.

Now we all know that we live in a world filled with noise — distractions, anxieties, endless hyped-up opinions, and constant demands for our attention….at times, making it difficult to hear the voice of Christ clearly. Yet the Gospel reminds us that faith begins by attentive listening. For, before Bartimaeus ever sees Jesus, he hears him.

Then comes the beautiful turning point: “Jesus stopped.” Out of all the noise around him, Jesus hears the cry of one man who is blind and forced to beg by the roadside. This reminds us…that no voice raised in faith is ever ignored by Christ.

Take Courage

Then Bartimaeus hears: “Take courage; get up, He is calling you.” Imagine what that sounded like to him. The voice he had been seeking was now calling him.

The same is true for us. Christ continues to call each of us by name — He calls through Scripture, prayer, conscience, and the people he places in our lives. (But are we listening like Bartimaeus?)

Bartimaeus responds immediately. He throws aside his cloak, springs up, and goes to Jesus. After receiving his sight, he doesn’t return to his old place by the roadside. Instead, he follows Jesus.

Detours Are Opportunities

Perhaps there’s another lesson hidden in my experience yesterday. What first seemed like an inconvenient detour became the very reason things worked out better than expected.

Sometimes the detours in our lives are not obstacles at all, but opportunities for God’s grace. Keep in mind that God may be leading us somewhere unexpected, so we can hear something we would otherwise miss.

My brothers and sisters, let’s pray today for hearts that listen carefully — hearts that listen for God’s voice amid all the noise of life, and hearts that listen attentively to our families and one another with patience and compassion. And when the Lord calls us, may we rise with faith and follow Him wherever He leads us.

• Today’s Readings
  
  
• Father David’s inspirational homily was recorded live during Mass at the Father Peyton Center today. You can watch the entire Mass on the Family Rosary Video streams channel on YouTube.
  
  
• Join the Rosary (11:30 am ET) and Mass (Noon ET) livestreams on the Family Rosary YouTube or Facebook page, Monday – Friday. Invite your friends and family to pray with you as well.