Mark 10:46-52 – Jesus heals
Bartimaeus a blind beggar
The account of the Bartimaeus healing is a transition from
Jesus’ general ministry to his ministry in Jerusalem, the blind man
persistently cried out for the “Son of David” to have mercy on him. He raised
such a fuss that Jesus’ attention =was called to him. Jesus asked Bartimaeus
what he wanted and the answer was “sight.”
Jesus attributed the healing to the beggar’s faith evidenced in his persisted
cries for help and in his faith in Jesus to help him. Though Jesus told him to
go his way, he followed Jesus as he went toward Jerusalem.
Bartimaeus was blind and therefore was forced to beg.
We do not know whether he was born blind of whether he was blinded by an accident
or a disease. He was the kind of a blind man who had spiritual sight. He could
see what few others saw, that Jesus was the Messiah who could heal him even if
it required a miracle. Many of us have good physical vision but we are
spiritually blind just as the scribes and Pharisees were blind. If one has to
be blind physical blindness is to be preferred.
Here we have two sons: the son of Timaeus ad the son
of David. The one is plainly human – helpless and handicapped. The other is the
Messiah, the son of David, who is human but also divine. One son cries to another
Son. Through the divine Son, both can be sons of the Father.
The cries of Bartimaeus touch the caring heart of Jesus. He stopped and asked for Bartimaeus to come to him. Why did Jesus not go to him since he was blind? Was it a test of Bartimaeus’ faith? A person needs to make a response: he/she needs to express his/her faith. Not that the call did not come directly from Jesus but came through others. Though it came secondhand, the call was still valid. In our day, this is probably the only way we can receive Christ’s call – through the church and the proclamation of the Gospel; “He who hears you,” says Jesus, “hears me.”[2]
For the mission of the Church: Almighty God, You have called Your Church to witness that in Christ You have reconciled us Yourself. Grant that by Your Holy Spirit we may proclaim the good news of Your salvation so that all who hear it may receive the gift of salvation; through Jesus Christ our Lord. [3] -22 October, 2021
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