30th Sunday of Ordinary Time (B)

Thirtieth Sunday of Ordinary Time (B) [Mk 10:46-52]

24.10.2021

The Healing of Blind Bartimaeus and His Conversion into a True Follower

Readings: (1) Jer 31:7-9 (2) Heb 5:1-6

1.  Theme in brief

Healing of spiritual blindness

2.  Focus Statement

As the blind beggar Bartimaeus did, a firm faith in the power of Jesus as well as humble and repeated pleading for mercy can lead to a healing experience from our spiritual blindness.

3.  Explanation of the text

Today’s gospel text is about the healing of a blind beggar named Bartimaeus. From his own words, “let me see again” (10:51), we can guess that he was not born blind but became blind later. He wanted to see again as he once used to see. When he heard that Jesus of Nazareth was passing that way, he began to shout to attract Jesus’ attention to him (10:47). What he asked was mercy or compassion of the Son of David (10:47). He cried out for mercy more loudly and insistently, though many people in the crowd sternly ordered him to keep quiet (10:48).  Jesus heard his pleading and told the people who objected to his shouting to call him (10:49).

Bartimaeus' faith was not about reciting the creed correctly, or believing in certain dogmas. From what he said and did we can notice the process or the steps he followed to be healed from his blindness. These steps are the necessary conditions for any believer to get healed from spiritual blindness even today:

(1)  From his persistent pleading in spite of being rebuked, we come to know that he had a firm conviction that Jesus had the power to rescue him from his blindness.

(2)  For him Jesus was not an ordinary person but “Son of David” (10:47, 48) – a divine title. As God’s Messiah was supposed to be born in Davidic dynasty, he expressed his faith in Jesus’ divine origin. Though he was physically blind, he desperately wanted to ‘see’ Jesus. In fact, in spite of his physical blindness he could ‘see’ who Jesus was with the eyes of faith.

(3)  He believed and trusted that Jesus would surely show him mercy and heal him.

(4)  He was persistent in his pleading in spite of objections from people. His desire to see Jesus was so great that no amount of scolding could hinder him. Thus he passed through tests of faith. For the people he was a nuisance; for them their needs were greater than this underprivileged man.

(5) The fact that he threw off his cloak (10:50) showed that he had full confidence and faith in the power of Jesus to heal him. The cloak was his important possession needed to spread on the ground and sit for begging. Since he expected to be healed he might have thought he no longer needed it.

(6) When Jesus asked him, "What do you want me to do for you?" he replied that he wanted to see again (10:51) with a firm conviction that Jesus had power to bring wholeness and deliverance for him. Compared to last Sunday’s gospel, where James and John had asked special privileges and most important posts, this blind beggar in today’s gospel asked for the gift of healing. Most probably Mark wanted to tell his readers that Jesus did not come to bestow power and honour on anybody but to give spiritual sight. In this sense, probably he wanted to tell them that Jesus’ disciples, especially James and John, were spiritually more "blind" than Bartimaeus.

(7) The question asked by Jesus to Bartimaeus: “What do you want me to do for you?” looks rather strange. Didn’t Jesus know that he was blind and shouting at the top of his voice for his mercy and healing touch? Then why such a question? Yes he knew; but he wanted to know whether Bartimaeus really believed that Jesus could do or had the power to do such a thing for him. His reply indicated his intense desire to see again (10:51). Jesus healed him with the words: “Your faith has made you well" (10:52). We hear these words in other places of the gospels too (cf. Mt 9:22; Mk 4:34; Lk 8:48; Lk 17:19). These words indicate that faith has the power to restore believers to wellness and wholeness.

(8) Bartimaeus’ story began with begging on the roadside (10:46) and ended with following Jesus on the “road” or “way” (10:52). Mark used this word “way” to refer to the way of Jesus a follower was expected to walk which ultimately could lead to the way of the cross. The fact that he addressed Jesus as his Teacher (10:51), indicated that Mark wanted to present Bartimaeus not only as a model of faith but also of a disciple who was called to walk with Jesus up to Calvary.

4.  Application to life                     

Today’s gospel text leads to a deeper awareness of the following types of spiritual, moral and psychological blindness in us:

(1) Our worst spiritual blindness is called blindness of faith. It becomes manifest in various ways: when we are not able to ‘see’ God or ‘see’ Jesus as Bartimaeus ‘saw’ him in faith; see God’s presence in our lives, especially when things go against our plans and when we face a lot of suffering; see his plans, action, and work in our lives; and see his love for us even in adverse situations.

(2) Sometimes we are not able see our sins/ faults and defects of character, or refuse to admit our sins or guilt even when it is pointed out to us by a well meaning friend or a spiritual guide; instead, we see others’ faults very fast.  Worst thing happens when some people lose the sense of sin and try to cover them up or even justify their wrongdoings saying that there is no such a thing called sin, or who is not doing the so-called wrong things? They allow their conscience to become dead; then it stops pricking them. Jesus calls this type of worst moral blindness a blasphemy against the Holy Spirit (Mk 3:28-30) which cannot be forgiven.  Since such persons believe they have not committed any sin on earth, they think that they do not need any repentance. If no repentance or remorse where is the point of forgiveness?

(3) Our next ‘blindness’ is insensitivity to others’ needs, difficulties, problems, concerns and feelings. We just do not care how hurting and uncharitable some of our words, comments, action and behaviour could be to those who are close to us. The blind beggar in today’s gospel represents all the underprivileged and the marginalized people of our society. Just the people in the crowd considered Bartimaeus a nuisance and shouted him down, we too fail to listen to the cry of such people and remain insensitive to their dire needs.

(4) Quite often we are not able to see the bad consequences of our sins on others, on our society and world. We do not realize that our personal sins a well as the unjust structures (created by sins) of our society are the root cause of many social evils because of which so many people suffer – quite often unjustly or innocently. For example, environmental degrada­tion and global warming are mostly man-made – a consequence of human greed and selfishness. The greenhouse gases which cause global warming are mainly the re­sult of human activity. Human greed for higher profits without any accountability has led to overexploitation of natural resources which has resulted in global warming. Similarly, if there is terrorism and fundamentalism in the world, it has its roots in selfishness and misguided policies of the powers that be. If there are addicts or criminals in families and society, we should understand that nobody is born as an addict or criminal. They are products of families and society that create them through a lack of love/ wrong upbringing/ acts of injustice done to them. In every criminal there is a victim crying for justice!

(5) Sometimes we are not being able to see anything good or positive in those whom we do not like (whom we abhor), who have hurt us or those who are our opponents.

(6) Sometimes, we do not see the love and care others have for us and just brush them off (as some children do to their parents, married couples to their spouses, or the religious to their community members).

(7) We have a blind spot and prejudices against “They” groups (that is, people belonging to other ethnic, religious, linguistic or racial groups). This becomes evident when we discriminate them against “We” group. We use the “We” feelings to exclude, hate and look down on them. “We” the men folk have blind spots for women and vice versa; “We” the Christians for non-Christians and vice versa; “We” the clergy for the laity and vice versa; “We” the locals for the “outsiders” and vice versa; “We” the nationals for the foreigners and vice versa; “We” the virtuous for the sinners and vice versa; etc. Though this is human and natural, today’s gospel-message invites us to be on our guard so that we do not get blinded by emotionalism, fanaticism, bitterness and hatred towards the so-called “They” groups.

Since all of us have one or the other ‘blindness’ mentioned above, today’s message is that Jesus comes to heal us from it. But we need to follow the stages of healing process followed by the blind beggar Bartimaeus in today’s gospel: (1) We must be fully conscious of our spiritual/ moral blindness and admit like him that no power on earth can set us free from this malady. (2) We should have a strong desire to ‘see’ Jesus, that is, to experience his forgiveness and healing touch. This becomes possible only when we have a strong desire from a change from our present condition or sinful state and cooperate in his grace. (3) We should have a strong faith in the healing power of Jesus. (4) We must humbly, earnestly and persistently beg Jesus to show his mercy on us. In other words, the path followed by the blind beggar, such as a humble admission of one’s sinfulness or fallen condition, an ardent desire to be healed, a strong faith in the power of Jesus, and humble begging for his mercy are the paths to be followed by us for getting healed from spiritual or moral blindness.

Though Jesus knows that we are spiritually blind, before healing us, just as he asked Bartimaeus, he asks us whether we desire for a change sincerely, genuinely, from the bottom of our hearts and out of our own free will, or only superficially. It is possible that we like to remain as blind as we are because remaining in ‘blindness’ gives us some pleasures or advantages. Since we find it too hard and painful to give up these pleasures and benefits we do not desire for a change deep down in our hearts. Quite often in order to please others or to escape from their wrath or rebuke, we go on promising personal change or reform without meaning it sincerely. A superficial wish will not cast out demons of deep-rooted evil habits. We need to see again as Bartimaeus desired – see again our original good intentions or motives when we got a new job, got married newly, entered religious life, took up a new venture. We need to re-visit and re-capture or see again that original zeal and enthusiasm.

Our faith in the healing power of Jesus has the power to restore us to wellness and wholeness. Faith has the power to ‘move mountains,’ that is, solve mountainous problems and ‘uproot trees,’ that is, root out deep-rooted evil or sinful habits. Secondly, humility to accept our powerlessness to change ourselves and a total dependence on God’s mercy towards us (as Bartimaeus begged); and choosing that path of persistence or perseverance in our efforts to bring about a change in us are necessary. As Jesus told Bartimaeus, if the above-mentioned healing process is followed up with a deep faith and sincerity, such a faith can make a person well (restore spiritual wellbeing) or save a person from spiritual blindness. Once we experience a healing touch, like Bartimaeus, as disciples we are called to follow Jesus on his way of the cross – a path of renunciation, sacrifice and suffering in our life.

5.  Response to God's Word

What are the symptoms of blindness of faith in us? Do we see God’s presence and action in our life, especially in adverse situations? Do we admit our faults when well meaning persons point them out? Have we lost the sense of sin? Are there symptoms of hardheartedness in us? Are we sensitive to the needs and difficulties of those who are close to us? Do we see and appreciate the care and concern shown to us by our near and dear ones? What is the level of our faith – deep or superficial? When we are caught up in deep-rooted bad habits and habitual sins, do we show a strong and genuine desire for a change? Do we try our best to take steps to come out of their trap? Do we really want to see Jesus?

6.  A prayer

Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me. Jesus, my Teacher, I want to see again. Increase my faith that I may get well and follow you on the way of life. Amen.