Catch 22s
Sancta Sanctis is in the liturgical spirit and her enthusiasm is catching. She describes a conundrum though:
The Psalms are like any other prayer: they have to be prayed to be understood. So many people say that they don't see any good in praying the rosary every day and so don't pray. The paradox is that only through praying a daily rosary will they be able to see the good in it. They won't be given the grace until they begin, but they won't begin because they haven't been given the grace. It's a little frustrating.
Indeed. It seems as though we must offer our five loaves and two fishes for them to be multiplied, or at least meet Him halfway. Not long ago I was listening to a priest talk about the healing of Bartimaeus in Mark 10:
46 Then they came to Jericho. As Jesus and his disciples, together with a large crowd, were leaving the city, a blind man, Bartimaeus (that is, the Son of Timaeus), was sitting by the roadside begging.
47 When he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to shout, "Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!"
48 Many rebuked him and told him to be quiet, but he shouted all the more, "Son of David, have mercy on me!"
49 Jesus stopped and said, "Call him." So they called to the blind man, "Cheer up! On your feet! He's calling you."
50 Throwing his cloak aside, he jumped to his feet and came to Jesus.
51 "What do you want me to do for you?" Jesus asked him. The blind man said, "Rabbi, I want to see."
52 "Go," said Jesus, "your faith has healed you." Immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus along the road.
The Dominican friar asks where is the act of faith? And then it hits him. In verse 50, a blind man throws his cloak amid the crowd? Cloaks were valuable possession in biblical times. If he didn't expect to be healed how would he expect to find it?
Enlighten the eyes of our understanding and raise up our minds from the heavy sleep of indolence. Open our mouth and fill it with your praise, that we may be able without distraction to sing and confess that you are God, glorified in all and by all. -Prayer of St. Basil
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