GOSPEL READING:
Mark 10:46-5246 And they came to Jericho; and as he was leaving Jericho with his disciples and a great multitude, Bartimaeus, a blind beggar, the son of Timaeus, was sitting by the roadside. 47 And when he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to cry out and say, "Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!" 48 And many rebuked him, telling him to be silent; but he cried out all the more, "Son of David, have mercy on me!" 49 And Jesus stopped and said, "Call him." And they called the blind man, saying to him, "Take heart; rise, he is calling you." 50 And throwing off his mantle he sprang up and came to Jesus. 51 And Jesus said to him, "What do you want me to do for you?" And the blind man said to him, "Master, let me receive my sight." 52 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.
Meditation: Have you ever encountered a once in a
life-time opportunity you knew you could not pass up? Such a
moment came for a blind and destitute man, named Bartimaeus. He
was determined to get near the one person who could meet his need.
He knew who Jesus was and had heard of his fame for healing, but
until now had no means of making contact with the Son of David,
a clear reference and title for the Messiah.
Seeking Jesus with effort and persistence pays off
It took a lot of "guts" (courage) and persistence for Bartimaeus
to get the attention of Jesus over the din of a noisy throng who
crowded around Jesus as he made his way out of town. Why was the
crowd annoyed with the blind man's persistent shouts? He was
disturbing their peace and interrupting Jesus' discourse. It was
common for a rabbi to teach as he walked with others. Jesus was on
his way to celebrate the Passover in Jerusalem and a band of
pilgrims followed him. When the crowd tried to silence the blind
man he overpowered them with his emotional outburst and thus
caught the attention of Jesus.
Goodness and mercy follows those who put their trust in God
This incident reveals something important about how God interacts
with us. The blind man was determined to get Jesus' attention and
he was persistent in the face of opposition. Jesus could have
ignored or rebuffed him because he was disturbing his talk and his
audience. Jesus showed that acting was more important than
talking. This man was in desperate need and Jesus was ready, not
only to empathize with his suffering, but to relieve it as well. A
great speaker can command attention and respect, but a man or
woman with a helping hand and a big heart is loved more.
What do you want Jesus to do for you?
Why did Jesus put a question to Bartimaeus - "What do you want me
to do for you?" Jesus wanted to draw out of him a personal
response of faith and trust in his power to heal and make whole.
Jesus commends Bartimaeus for recognizing who he is with the eyes
of faith and grants him physical sight as well. Do you
recognize the Lord Jesus with "eyes of faith" as your merciful
Lord and healer? Ask the Lord Jesus to strengthen your faith that
you may draw near to him and receive his grace and mercy.
Lord Jesus, may I never fail to recognize my need for your grace and mercy. Strengthen my faith and trust in you that I may seek your presence daily and listen to your word with a readiness to follow you who are my All.
Psalm 100:1-5
1 Make a joyful noise to the LORD, all the lands!
2 Serve the LORD with gladness! Come into his presence with singing!
3 Know that the LORD is God! It is he that made us, and we are his; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.
4 Enter his gates with thanksgiving, and his courts with praise! Give thanks to him, bless his name!
5 For the LORD is good; his steadfast love endures for ever, and his faithfulness to all generations.
Daily Quote from the Early Church Fathers: Your Word will enlighten and save me, by Clement of Alexandria, 150-215 A.D.
"The commandment of the Lord shines clearly, enlightening the eyes. Receive Christ, receive power to see, receive your light, that you may plainly recognize both God and man. More delightful than gold and precious stones, more desirable than honey and the honeycomb is the Word that has enlightened us (Psalm 19:10). How could he not be desirable, who illumined minds buried in darkness, and endowed with clear vision 'the light-bearing eyes' of the soul? ... Sing his praises, then, Lord, and make known to me your Father, who is God. Your Word will save me, your song instruct me. I have gone astray in my search for God; but now that you light my path, Lord, I find God through you, and receive the Father from you, I become co-heir with you, since you were not ashamed to own me as your brother. Let us, then, shake off forgetfulness of truth, shake off the mist of ignorance and darkness that dims our eyes, and contemplate the true God, after first raising this song of praise to him: 'All hail, O light!' For upon us buried in darkness, imprisoned in the shadow of death, a heavenly light has shone, a light of a clarity surpassing the sun's, and of a sweetness exceeding any this earthly life can offer." (excerpt from EXHORTATION TO THE GREEKS 11.8)
