Readings: Jeremiah 31:7-9, Ps. 126, Hebrews 5:1-6, Mark 10:46-52
“And the blind man said to him, ‘Master, let me receive my sight.’ And Jesus said to him, ‘Go your way; your faith has made you well.’ And immediately he received his sight and followed him on the way.” (Mark 10:51-52)
At first glance, the story of Blind Bartimaeus looks like one ordinary episode of healing by Jesus Christ. But then, as with every miracle Jesus performed, there is more to what meets the eye. Today, the church calls us to place ourselves in that powerful healing account scenario so that we may learn certain lessons and grow in our faith.
1. Do You Recognise the Presence of Jesus?
Ironically, while a blind man did not have trouble recognising Jesus as the Son of David (the promised Messiah), many who could see clearly with both eyes had trouble believing that this “son of a carpenter” was the Son of God. How many Catholics can “see” Jesus present, soul and divinity, in the Holy Eucharist? Bartimaeus was blind, but deep inside him, he could see God present in the person of Jesus. This inner sight eventually brought about his physical sight. The book of Hebrews 11:1 says, “Faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.” Unless we can see Jesus from within, we cannot see him externally.
2. Seeing is NOT always Believing
One of the twelve disciples was absent when Jesus appeared after his resurrection, and when he was told that Jesus had risen, he said: “Unless I place my hands in the holes made by the nails and feel his pierced side, I refuse to believe.” (John 20:24-28). For many people today, seeing is believing. Now, let’s assume that after Thomas said these words, something entered his eyes, and he became blind. Would he have been able to believe? Many of us are like Thomas; our faith in God is limited to what we can see, and this explains why there are miracle centres everywhere with huge displays of miracles, most of which are fake. Opening a church has become a lucrative business for many, and some employ diabolic means to pull crowds and keep them from leaving. Even when miracles are displayed, the moral life of our society continues to go down. Signs and wonders, instead of drawing us closer to God, now serve as mere entertainment in our churches.
3. Do not Allow Anyone to Discourage You
It is very sad that while Bartimaeus was trying to get Jesus’ attention, some people following Jesus told him to keep quiet. As Fr. Amadasun Idahosa once said: “Sometimes the disciples of Christ are often the greatest obstacles for people to encounter Christ.” However, do not let anyone discourage you from praying. Be like Bartimaeus, ignore their voices and continue calling out to Jesus. Those close to Jesus may also prevent us from coming to Him through their scandalous behaviour. When we see and hear things done by high-ranking church officials as well as those who belong to respectable church societies, we feel like giving up on the Christian faith itself. However, by so doing, we cheat ourselves. Imagine if Bartimaeus had kept quiet because of the scandalous attitude of Jesus’ followers. Would he get his miracle?
4. Do not allow your Possessions to act as Obstacles
A few Sundays ago, we read about the rich young man who walked away from Jesus, sad because he could not let go of his riches and become a disciple of Jesus. In today’s Gospel passage, we are told that when Bartimaeus heard that Jesus was calling him, he sprang to his feet, threw off his cloak, and came to Jesus. The throwing off of his cloak is quite significant here. Could my love for riches be preventing me from deepening my spiritual life? What are those things standing between me and God? What are those things I need to drop to become a prayerful Christian? What are those things preventing me from going to Church?
5. Prayer is not Just a Matter of Words
When Bartimaeus came to Jesus, Jesus asked him: “What do you want me to do for you?” This is Jesus’ attitude when we drop down on our knees to pray, come to church, or visit the Blessed Sacrament. After asking that question, Jesus looks into our hearts; he listens to our words and measures our faith level. Bartimaeus responded: “Master, let me receive my sight.” Jesus said: “Go, your faith has made you well.” It is not enough to tell Jesus our problem; we must do so with faith. Our first reading today assures us that God cares about our well-being. God does not like to see us cry, as Jeremiah assures us: “With weeping, they shall come, and with consolations, I will lead them back, I will make them walk by brooks of water, in a straight path in which they shall not stumble” (Jeremiah 31:9). If you must cry in prayer, let not your tears lead you to desperation or hopelessness, believe that God sees and will surely respond. Let the eyes weep, but make sure the heart is firm with faith.
Conclusion: Faith is like a pair of glasses for the visually impaired. It enables us to see things that our ordinary eyes cannot. Faith is believing things that are not yet, and the reward of faith is seeing what we believe.
Let us pray: Almighty, ever-living God, open our eyes to see and believe in you more deeply. We ask this through Our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God forever and ever. Amen.
Be Happy. Live Positive. Have Faith. It is well with you. May God’s abundant blessings be upon us all. (30th Sunday in Ordinary Time. Bible Study: Jeremiah 31:7-9, Ps. 126, Hebrews 5:1-6, Mark 10:46-52).
@Rev. Fr. Evaristus E. Abu