Dear sisters and brothers, ours is a message of joy and graceful trust as we hear the solemn words of today’s readings. This is because above and beyond every odd, they remind us once again of the God of our salvation who is our refuge, our strength, our redeemer and our restorer. The responsorial Psalm captures it quite beautifully: “the Lord has done great things for us, we are glad indeed” (126:3-5). The prophet Jeremiah proclaimed this message of hope and joy to the people who knew so much pain and suffering with God’s fervent promise “I will gather from the ends of the earth… the blind and the lame…the mothers and those with child…they departed in tears, but I will console them and guide them” (Cf. Jr 31:7-9). This message of restoration and healing takes its most vivid form in the coming of Jesus Christ, the God who became man, and today we hear a rather insightful narrative of Christ’s miraculous encounter with a blind and helpless beggar named Bartimaeus (Mk10:46-52).
Amidst the daily challenges we are faced with, the story of Christ and the Blind Bartimaeus comes rather very apt. Ours is a world where we seem to struggle with the pressure and compromise of sinfulness on many fronts, a world where we battle with sickness, childlessness, poverty, and many times are even tempted to fall into depression, and suicide. These and many other challenging circumstances can be linked to the very state in which the blind man was as he seemed to have no other place to stay other than that spot by the roadside where he always sat to beg for alms. However, even in his utter state of helplessness, Bartimaeus seemed to have exemplified a commendable attitude of Faith worthy of our reflection as presented in the gospel of Mark today.
First, we are told he cried out with a loud voice continually “Jesus, son of David, have pity on me” (10:47). This means that his knowledge of Jesus must have gone well beyond that of a mere passer-by. He seemed to have come to believe in him that he could acknowledge him as the coming Messiah foretold by the prophets, particularly, that of Isaiah (chapter 11), who proclaimed that a shoot shall sprout from the stock of Jesse (and Jesse was the father of David). Indeed, we see that this came to pass in Christ as particularly recorded by St. Matthew the historian, who began his gospel passage by tracing the genealogy of Christ back to the kingly lineage of David (Cf. Mt 1:1-17). This means that even the choice of Joseph as the foster father/ earthly guardian of Jesus was no accident. It was God’s perfect design, and this was precisely, why Jesus, who no doubt, remained Son of God, on many occasions and as recorded in all four gospels of the sacred scripture, would refer to himself as “Son of Man” (see Mt 8:20; 11:19; Mk 8:31; Lke 22:48; Jn 3:13).
Thus, we see that Bartimeus knew very well his need for God’s divine touch, and he was neither too proud to admit or air it out, nor was he ready to give-in to the pressure of the disapproving crowd (including the followers of Christ). Rather, he was humble to identify his weakness and constantly called out till he got his chance to meet with the master. And when finally the opportunity came forth, he did not mince words nor choose the path of ‘running around the bush’ he simply and frankly stated his need: “Lord that I may see” and Christ particularly commended him for his faith. And after having gained his sight we are told, the man threw off his cloak and was full of joyful praise of God (Mk 10:46-52).
This is very insightful a lesson for us today, especially in our world where we seem to be growing so fast in pomposity, pretense and ‘living a Lie’ in the name of ‘having Faith’. The author to the Hebrews tell us clearly that every High Priest is chosen from among the people, to offer up prayers and offerings for sins on behalf of the people and himself as well, since he is himself beset by weaknesses, yet, has been graciously called and chosen to take to a task he cannot meritoriously or honorably take upon himself (Heb:5:1-6). As such, like Christ, every priest who must follow after Christ, the eternal Priest, (that is, both the sacred and the common priesthood that we all share) must recognize the pricelessness of having to serve and remain humble, tolerant and yet, full of zeal in service to others.
And so, my dear friends, the faith attitude of this man Bartimaeus calls us to reflect on a number of questions regarding how our own Faith-relationship with God. As Christians for instance, how much faith have we in Christ, especially amidst trials and tribulations? What becomes of us regarding our knowledge of Christ when we are in need? And also when our needs have been met or answered? Are we the kinds that pay much attention to every stone thrown at us? Do we simply wait for the opportune time to pay back the evil done us? Or do we simply and continually strive to remain focused on him who is our real source of strength and healing hoping that someday, even the stone-throwers will one day come to not only marvel at the beautiful edifice their stoning have made of us through God’s grace, but also come to have true remorse and repent of their wrongdoing?
It is therefore, my fervent prayer
that we may grow through every weakness and not simply be at home with them, or pretend as though they were not there even when they are, so that we may constantly and tirelessly reach out to Christ in such a deepened and lively Faith – by drawing closer and closer to Christ in his word and through the sacraments – so that in the end, we may become so fully grown and completely detached from the love of anything else other than Christ. Amen!!!
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