Reproduction from Harold Copping of Copping’s Bible Illustrations in the public domain retrieved at Wikimedia Commons https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Harold_Copping_-Bartimaeus-_(MeisterDrucke-52938).jpg
Jeremiah 31:7-9, Psalm 126, Heb. 5:1-6, Mark 10:46-52
The first reading from the prophet Jeremiah reminds us that the Lord God will gather together the blind and lame from the ends of the earth.
If we are truly honest with ourselves, we are also like the blind and lame in our own faith journey. One of the seven deadly sins of pride may hinder our relationship with living out our call to Christian discipleship. We may think that our way is better, and put time for God in a compartmentalized box. The opposing virtue for this flaw is humility. We must ask for God’s grace to recognize that nothing in life is absent from God’s will. Another of the seven deadly sins is envy. Perhaps we wish we had a better body, more wealth or some other attribute in which we compare ourselves to others. We must seek gratitude in our life regardless of the circumstances. Those that sow in tears will reap in joy according to Psalm 126.
The psalm response reminds us to be filled with joy for the Lord God has done great things for us.
Oftentimes we can be burdened by this earthly path which causes us to lose sight of the wonder and awe of God’s creation. A blind person may not have experienced the gift of sight by being able to see a magnificent sunrise or sunset. This same person, however, can feel the warmth of the sun on their skin and hear the wonder of God’s creation with their other senses. A blind or lame person may appear to have physical limitations to those that do not, but it is the heart and soul of mankind that is without limit in which God, the Divine Weaver, will create a rich tapestry using all of His creation.
The late Fred Rogers who created the long running USA based program of Mr. Rogers Neighborhood had an episode with a quadriplegic boy named Jeff Erlanger. Jeff was confined to a wheelchair due to a tumor at the age of four. Despite his condition, Mr. Erlanger never let his condition impede the joy of living. Mr. Erlanger said it wasn’t what he could not do, but what he could do that impacted his joy in life. (See the following Jeff & Mister Rogers https://youtu.be/wxl4SPiKQDE?si=DhIOZV5bE_7B_8e2 via @YouTube). We too must have that same attitude as Christian disciples & be grateful just as Mr. Erlanger was to have the precious gift of life.
When blind Bartimaeus hears of Jesus entering the town of Jericho, his humbled response can only be one of “Jesus, son of David, have pity on me.” Such a recognition of Jesus as Messiah by Bartimaeus foreshadows Jesus’s upcoming Passion and death upon the cross and entry into Jerusalem. Jericho is 15 miles outside of Jerusalem. This land of Jericho also recalls the place where Aaron, a high priest under the Mosaic covenant numbered the Israelites along with Eleazar upon the plains of Moab at Jericho (Numbers 26:63-64). Paul’s epistle to the Hebrews and the second reading recalls this high priesthood and the priesthood of Jesus where he will become the ultimate sacrifice for our human condition.
Although the crowd rebuked Bartimaeus for his loud pleas for help, he persisted. When Jesus called forth for him to come, the crowd told Bartimaeus to take courage in which he sprang up, dropped the cloak and asked the Master for his sight to be restored. Go your way; your faith has saved you. The gospel writer also mentions that Bartimaeus followed Jesus on the way after such a miraculous healing event takes place. Bartimaeus follows Jesus upon the way toward Jerusalem to witness the Passion, death, carrying of the cross and eventual resurrection that is the joy we should find in life according to the Psalm verse.
We can choose to remain by the roadside and let life pass us by. It is easy to mope and be apathetic about our state of affairs. However, Bartimaeus, did not let the crowd stand in his way to become closer to Jesus. Mr. Erlanger did not let his disability ruin his mission and outlook in life. We must ask for the grace to have the steadfast faith of Bartimaeus to cast aside our worries, problems & concerns and seek out Jesus to follow Him on the way. Let us ask for God’s grace to seek out the courage to come to Jesus with our problems and let faith be our guide this day.
StreetEvangelist 