Read after the Gospel of the mass on Thursday of the fourth week of the holy lent. It includes scolding those who obstruct virtue makers. It is based on the chapter in the bible of the blind beggar near Jericho: (Luke 18: 35 - 43).

This is the blind man you heard about now & the blind mentioned by the Evangelist Mark (Mark10:46-52) These are the same 2 blind men which Matthew wrote about when he said:"Jesus opened the eyes of 2 blind men who were sitting on the road.(Matt.20:29-34).From such sayings, some may think there is difference between the Evangelists.Thus, we will compare between them to eliminate this false assumption.
The Evangelist Mark said:"And they came to Jericho: and as he went out of Jericho with his disciples and a great number of people, blind Bartimaeus, the son of Timaeus, sat by the highway side begging."(Mark10:46).The Evangelist Luke said:"And it came to pass, that as he was come nigh unto Jericho, a certain blind man sat by the way side begging:(Luke18:35).From what is written we understand that there wasn't only one blind man,but 2.One of them,met the Master when he was entering Jericho (according to Luke's story).The other met the Master while he was leaving Jericho(according to Mark's story).Matthew mentioned the 2 blind beggars together."And they which went before rebuked him, that he should hold his peace: but he cried so much the more, Thou son of David, have mercy on me."(Luke18:39).Neither the people’s neither rebuke nor Congestion masses could silent the beggar's shouting. Why? Because Blindness (God save us all from it) is one of the greatest misfortunes that afflict human in this life This blind would have any other misfortune in the world rather being blind.Thus he must be pardoned for his shouting.But what is the masses' excuse to rebuke the blind to stop shouting for the One who is capable to grant his eyes the sight????How can you allow yourself to rebuke him for shouting? Who gave you such right? Humanitarian compassion obligates you to hurry by taking his hand & leading him to the Lord.This is your duty. But the badness of humans do not let them work righteous deeds.They don't help.They even object those who work.Is there anyone who doesn't admit that the blind deserves pity because he is deprived of the enjoyment of watching the light& doesn't feel the joy of the crafts' vision of the wise creator as the sun , the moon , the rest of the planets, and other creatures. Instead he remains bleak & sad and says as the righteous Tobit said:"How can I be happy while I am sitting in the dark & can't see the Sun's light"(Tobit6:12)
Such ignorant,merciless & encompassed masses fairly deserved the Lord's words to them:"But woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye shut up the kingdom of heaven against men: for ye neither go in yourselves, neither suffer ye them that are entering to go in."(Matt.23:13).Because they lost every Prudence,care and consideration.They became insensitive & subject Sultan envy and jealousy.This offense arises often from the lack of attention,prudence , or out of envy, fear,or from the love of glory, jealousy, selfishness and semiconductors of such fancies.Man commits it to advise,criticize, mock, judge, intimidation and the like.To prove what we said ,here are some examples from the Holy Bible: 1)Priest Eli committed such offense due to lack of attention& patience.He saw Hannah ,Profit Samuele's mother,heart-bitter standing,crying in the temple.He didn't hear what she was saying,so he thought she was drunken.He ordered to expel her from the temple.Afterwards,he paid attention and repented. He changed the rebuke to prayer and expulsion to the blessing. Then Eli answered and said, Go in peace: and the God of Israel grant thee thy petition that thou hast asked of him.(1Sam.1:1-17) 2)This offense was also committed by the chief priests of the Jews and their scribes & their elders by preventing the work of salvation.(Acts4:5,7).The fire of envy has stoked their hearts because of the glory lust of the name of Jesus among their own people. And they were very afraid of this.Whatever they did whether prison,insult or threaten the apostles,they couldn't stop the masses from hearing about the crucified Perfect faultless. Thus the Apostles said:"Saying, Did not we straitly command you that ye should not teach in this name? and, behold, ye have filled Jerusalem with your doctrine, and intend to bring this man's blood upon us."(Acts5:28).What great sin is committed by those who obstruct the virtuous workers!!! The Apostle Paul,Barnabas and John were in the city of Paphos in the island of Cyprus.The Governor Sergius wanted to hear the word of God from Paul and Barnabas.A sorcerer called Barjesus, a false prophet, obstructed them.. Paul was filled with the Holy Spirit and said to him: "O full of all subtilty and all mischief, thou child of the devil, thou enemy of all righteousness, wilt thou not cease to pervert the right ways of the Lord? And now, behold, the hand of the Lord is upon thee, and thou shalt be blind, not seeing the sun for a season. And immediately there fell on him a mist and a darkness; and he went about seeking some to lead him by the hand.(Acts 13:1-12).Our Beloved watch how the Prophet called the sorcerer the son of the devil for trying to dismiss the Governor away of the Faith. Also you read in the Bible how Jesus called Peter Satan saying:"Get thee behind me, Satan:"because Peter wanted to prevent Jesus from going to Jerusalem & passing through the pains by saying:" Be it far from thee, Lord: this shall not be unto thee."(Matt.16:22,23). It is Proven the greatness of the sin of objecting those who make virtuous acts.The severity of the punishment does not need more clarification than be said that the perpetrator of this crime that the Apostle had called him a son of the devil.Dear friends, we must be firmer in the work of virtue the more the agents of Satan increase in diligence to prevent us . We must imitate this blind man who heard about.The more the rebuke rs rebuked him the more he shouted "Son of David,have mercy on me".To Our God be the glory forever.Amen