Keep listening, keep praying, keep loving

Sermon for Quinquagesima

1 Corinthians 13:1-13  +  Luke 18:31-43

There’s a lot of uncertainty in the world, isn’t there? Even more this week than there was the week before, a lot of unknowns about the present and the future. A lot of things we don’t understand, including things in the Scriptures and things in the Church. When you can’t see the way, when the way appears dark, the Holy Spirit shows us in today’s Epistle and Gospel the simple path forward for the Christian. Keep listening, keep praying, and keep loving.

In our Gospel, Jesus is on the final leg of His journey to Jerusalem for the Passover of Holy Week. He wants His disciples to be prepared for what’s about to happen, and to understand that it all happens according to Scripture and according to the Father’s plan, and that Jesus is willingly following that plan. Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem, and all the things that were written through the prophets concerning the Son of Man will be fulfilled. For he will be delivered to the Gentiles, and he will be mocked and mistreated and spit upon. And they will scourge him and put him to death. And on the third day he will rise again.

Now, this isn’t the first time Jesus has told them about these things. It’s at least the third or fourth time. And yet, Luke emphasizes their failure to understand. They understood none of these things; this saying was hidden from them, and they did not understand the things that were said. They were like blind men. They couldn’t see the way ahead for Jesus or for themselves, even with the most straightforward words of Jesus shining the light on the path. Why? Because it was hidden from them.

It was hidden from them, in part, because they had their own preconceived notions of what the Christ was supposed to do, and no matter what Jesus said, their own beliefs overcame what Jesus said. The Christ was not supposed to suffer. The Christ was not supposed to die. He was supposed to conquer. He was supposed to rule and reign. They didn’t understand that the primary purpose of the Christ was not to make the world a better place, but to make atonement for the sins of mankind through His suffering and death, that we might be reconciled to God through faith in Christ Jesus, for this fleeting life and, more importantly, for the eternal life to come.

But it was also hidden from the disciples because it had to be. Things had to work out a certain way, and so the Holy Spirit chose not to enlighten their minds yet. Not about these things. He kept them believing in Jesus. But He kept them in the dark with regard to the path forward. He allowed them to remain “blind” for the moment. All they could do, as blind men, was keep listening to Jesus, and that they did, even though they didn’t understand.

Then they encountered an actual blind man, who was begging at the entrance of the city of Jericho. Now, since blind people can’t see, what are they usually very good at? They’re good at hearing. They’re good at listening. And this blind man was no different. He listened and heard the commotion surrounding Jesus’ arrival. So he asked what it meant, and he listened to the answer. Jesus of Nazareth was passing by.

But this blind man shows that he has been listening to other things, too, because he knows who this Jesus of Nazareth is. He sees better than most of the seeing people who are there. By listening to the report that had been going around about Jesus, the blind man had already come to recognize that Jesus of Nazareth is the “Son of David,” that is, the Messiah, the Christ, the promised Savior. He never saw Jesus in his life. But by listening to the word about Jesus, he was able to see the truth.

What was it the Father said to Peter, James, and John about Jesus up on the Mount of Transfiguration? This is My beloved Son. Hear Him! Listen to Him! Listen! Even when— especially when—you don’t understand where His plan is leading you. And you know where and how to listen. Don’t listen to some little voice inside your heart. Don’t listen to your own reason. Listen to the Word! Read it. Hear it. Ponder it. Set aside time for it. And don’t worry if you don’t understand everything you hear right away. Just learn from the blind man in our Gospel, and keep listening!

But the blind man didn’t only listen. Knowing full well that he was blind and that only Jesus could help, he cried out to him for help. He prayed. Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me! And he kept praying, even when the people around him told him to be quiet, told him his prayers were wrong, were annoying, were useless. Why did he keep praying and crying out? Because he believed that Jesus would help him to see! He believed that his prayers would be heard. Faith came by hearing.

And Jesus did help him. What do you want me to do for you?” He said, “Lord, that I may receive my sight!” And Jesus said to him, “Receive your sight! Your faith has saved you. Faith is what saves, not sight. Faith in Christ, faith in God who sees clearly all the time, even when we’re entirely blind. Faith cries out to God for help. Faith urges us to pray. To pray for help. To pray for mercy. To pray for sight—at least, as much sight as we need. Many mysteries have been revealed about Christ. Many mysteries remain for the Church, and for your own life as Christians. Many things won’t be revealed until the Last Day. Many things will remain shaded, cloudy, obscure. And that’s okay. Keep listening to God’s Word, and keep praying for sight.

What else? What else would God have you do, even when you can’t see the way ahead? Keep loving.

We learn listening and praying from the blind man in our Gospel. But we learn love from Jesus. The way He stopped and took time for the man in need. The way He spoke kindly to him and helped him gladly. And, of course, we hear from the Apostle Paul in today’s Epistle a beautiful description of what Christian love looks like. Love is patient. It is kind. Love does not envy. Love does not boast. It is not conceited. It does not behave indecently. It does not seek its own. It does not become angry. It does not dwell on evil. It does not rejoice in iniquity but rejoices in the truth. It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never fails.

Being in the dark about the path ahead, being confused or frustrated doesn’t give you the right to behave badly toward your family, toward your neighbor, toward your fellow Christian. On the contrary, you are called to keep loving at all times, with Christ Jesus Himself as the prime example. In fact, you are called, as Christians, to be characterized by love. Yes, you are to be known in this dark world as people of faith and people of hope. But just as much you are to be known as people of love—the kind of love Paul describes in the Epistle, which will continue into the next life after there is no longer a need for faith or hope. As Paul says, For now we see through a mirror, indirectly; but then we will see face to face. Now I know in part; but then I will know fully, even as I am also fully known. And now faith, hope, and love remain, these three; but the greatest of these is love.

So when you can’t see the way, when the way appears dark, or even if the Holy Spirit has granted you insight and understanding, you have the Lord’s direction. Keep listening. Keep praying. And keep loving. And know that, even when you can’t see, the Lord has no trouble at all seeing you. Amen.