This Sunday we hear of a blind beggar, Bartimaeus, asking for Jesus’ help based upon his faith, and his request is granted by Jesus. This gospel is unlike Mark’s account last weekend when James and John, the sons of Zebedee, do not realize or understand—nor do they see—for what they were asking. Today’s gospel is significant for a number of reasons:
1. Faith and the recognition of Jesus. Bartimaeus recognizes Jesus as the Messiah by using His rightful title, “Son of David.” It is with eyes of faith from a blind man that Jesus is seen for who He is, the Son of God and Savior of the world. This is critical in the Catholic tra dition as Bartimaeus sees the divine authority and messianic role of Jesus. It is faith and the perspective of the blind beggar that grants healing to Bartimaeus.
2. Persistence in prayer. Even though Bartimaeus was rebuked or discouraged by the crowd from bothering Jesus, he continued to press forward to meet with the Lord. He did not let the obstacles of others to get in his way. How often do we let and obstacle prevent us from going to Christ? How often do we give up in prayer, failing to show the Lord how much we desire His help? In the Catholic tradition, there is an importance attached to perseverance in prayer, remember the widow and the judge? Encouraging believers to remain steadfast even in the face of discouragement has a heavenly pay-off.
3. The compassion of Jesus. Jesus’ response to Bartimaeus’ request for healing highlights the compassion and mercy of the Savior. In Catholicism, this reflects God’s love and mercy for everyone, particularly those who are marginalized in the world around us. Last week we heard the Jesus is the suffering servant, a type of leadership role, which points the Church to re member to provide care for the needy and the blind, both spiritually and physically.
4. Restoration and Discipleship. In the restorative act of the gospel, it is both physi cal healing and spiritual enlightenment as illustrated by the fact that after Bartimaeus is healed he continues to follow Jesus along the road. In Catholic teachings, encountering Jesus leads to transformation, which again is also illustrated in the account of the woman at the well where Jesus knows her past completely and restores her in spirit and community. This trans formative act of Christ today then leads to a call to discipleship and to a relationship with Je sus.
The faith symbolism of blindness and sight. Today’s account of Bartimaeus is viewed by many scholars symbolically as Bartimaeus’ physical blindness represents spiritual blindness, while his healing signifies enlightenment and the ability to see Truth. Again, this is tied closely to our Catholic teachings on sin, repentance, and the life-long journey toward understanding God.
This synopsis reminds us ultimately that our Catholic tradition is about the main elements of faith: perseverance, compassion, and the transformative power of the encounter with Christ. That our faith journey is a life-long journey, with ups-and-downs, which requires perseverance and great hope, complete with eyes of faith to see the Lord and His love and compassion all around us. Like Bartimaeus, when we can see and recognize Him then we are on the path to unending joy.