When Bartimaeus heard the Lord passing by, he cried out, Jesus, son of David, have pity on me! It was a desperate and distressed cry but also a cry of FAITH. The man trusted someone he had not seen with a firm and strong FAITH. He could not see with his eyes, but his faith allowed him to see with his HEART. We have not seen Jesus, but by the grace of God, we believe and hope to see Him one day.

In the Gospel, Jesus reminds us that SERVICE is the core value of our faith. For this reason, anyone who wants to become great among you must be your servant, and anyone who wants to be first among you must be a slave to all.

Let Go and Let God. The first reading from the Wisdom of Solomon, written a century before our Lord's birth, speaks in Solomon's voice. The Lord tells the young Solomon to ask for anything he wants. Without any hesitation, he chooses WISDOM. (2 Chr. 1:10)

More than ever, the institution of marriage continues to be questioned: Two contemporary trends exist. The first are those who no longer see the value of marriage as an essential foundation of family life and as the basic unit of society. Marriage is a personal option or preference, which can be permanent, or, in any case, it is not as important to them. The second trend belongs to those who espouse gay rights, who insist that same-sex union is equivalent to marriage and is an essential foundation for family life and society.