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Gospel: Luke 18: 35-43
As Jesus approached Jericho
a blind man was sitting by the roadside begging,
and hearing a crowd going by, he inquired what was happening.
They told him,
“Jesus of Nazareth is passing by.”
He shouted, “Jesus, Son of David, have pity on me!”
The people walking in front rebuked him,
telling him to be silent,
but he kept calling out all the more,
“Son of David, have pity on me!”
Then Jesus stopped and ordered that he be brought to him;
and when he came near, Jesus asked him,
“What do you want me to do for you?”
He replied, “Lord, please let me see.”
Jesus told him, “Have sight; your faith has saved you.”
He immediately received his sight
and followed him, giving glory to God.
When they saw this, all the people gave praise to God.
The Gospel of the Lord.
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Mark tells us that this blind man healed in today’s Gospel was named Bartimaeus.
Imagine him wrapped in his cloak, his face covered by a scraggly beard, his eyes milky blue.
There he is on a patch of dusty earth, seated next to the road leading up into Jerusalem, begging pilgrims for spare change in order to feed himself that day.
“Sir, Ma’am, a spare coin, please!”
Suddenly, the crowd alerts him that Jesus of Nazareth is passing through – not because they think Jesus will want to see him, but because they want Bartimaeus to get out of their way!
What happens next is both surprising and miraculous – Bartimaeus lunges at the Lord’s feet, professes his faith, and begs to see.
Jesus, moved with pity for the man, heals him.
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It’s easy to consider this scene like any other – a person in need approaches Jesus and is healed. However, if we stick with the image and contemplate what just happened, then we’ll find an important lesson for every disciple.
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While seated, Bartimaeus would’ve had his legs crossed, creating a canopy between his knees, which people could’ve tossed coins into. When he stands and casts off his cloak – and any coins resting on – Bartimaeus literally leaves everything he owns behind.
Having nothing more than his faith, he approaches the Lord, expressing his need.
Because of his faith, Bartimaeus is healed… then he follows Jesus up to Jerusalem where, with his freshly healed eyes, he would see the Lord crucified.
The fact that Mark mentions Bartimaeus by name not only means that he was known in the early Christian community; by being part of it, Bartimaeus would have also received everything he left behind that day – food, clothing, financial support.
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So, what does Bartimaeus teach us?
In Jesus words, “Seek first the kingdom of God and everything else will be given to you.”
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Image credits: (1) Cove Presbyterian Church (2) Medium (3) YouTube Above Inspiration, 15:46