1 Maccabees 1:10-15, 41-43, 54-57, 62-64 / Luke 18:35-43
By and large, we would prefer to live ordinary and quiet lives.
Never mind if life is rather routine and mundane.
We would rather be in a nice quiet place and live our lives peacefully.
We don’t see ourselves as leading any radical change, nor be the voice of the minority or majority.
But at times, we may have to shout in order to be heard.
Like how that blind man in the gospel called and shouted for Jesus.
The people around him scolded him and told him to keep quiet.
But that blind man shouted all the louder until Jesus stopped and asked the people to bring the blind man over to Him.
The 1st reading told of a dreadful wrath that came upon the people of Israel.
The voice of faith and prayer was suppressed by the threat of death.
As for us, we may not need to shout out our prayers in order for God to hear us.
God will listen to the prayers of the poor, the simple and the humble.
So, whether we softly offer up our prayer, or say it aloud, let us trust that the Lord our God will listen and answer to our prayer whenever we are in need.