Hear My Voice and Have Pity on Me

Hear My Voice and Have Pity on Me

Mk 10: 46 – 52

30^th Sunday in Ordinary Time

Introduction

The Gospel today tells the story of the blind man Bartimaeus who got the attention of Jesus by shouting out loud: “Jesus, son of David, have pity on me.” Jesus heals Bartimaeus telling him that his faith has saved him.

The Gospel

Jesus was about to leave Jericho. He was accompanied by his disciples and a sizable crowd. Along the roadside where Jesus and the crowd were walking was Bartimaeus, a blind man. This roadside would have been his usual place. The foot traffic made it the perfect place to beg. Perhaps after years of begging on the streets, his voice would have become so loud by now, as it was the only way to call the attention of the passing crowd, most of whom would not have noticed him as they quickly walked their way past him.

The evangelist Mark tells us that Bartimaeus called out to the Lord  because he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth who was passing by. He has never seen Jesus face to face. He must have heard the great miracles Jesus has done. And now he, Bartimaeus, without confirming if all of what he had heard about Jesus was true, took that giant leap of faith by believing Jesus simply because of what he has heard.

But his voice was drowned by the noise of the sizable crowd that followed Jesus. Realizing that his cry wasn’t loud enough for Jesus to hear, he shouted even louder so he could be heard by Jesus. At this, many in the crowd rebuked him and asked him to keep silent as his voice must have been irritatingly loud and must have disturbed the crowd that was intently listening to Jesus as he walked.   

But the gospel tells us that the people’s rebuke only made him shout even more loudly at the top of his voice, shouting: “ Jesus, son of David, have pity on me!” The gospel says that Jesus stopped and said: “ Call him.”

Bartimaeus then was told that Jesus was calling for him. Immediately, he threw aside his cloak, sprang up and came to Jesus. Jesus then asked him: “ What do you want me to do for you?” Bartimaeus replied: “ Master, I want to see.” Jesus then tells him: “ Go your way; your faith has saved you.” Immediately he received his sight and followed him on the way.

Reflection

            Our reading today speaks about the faith of the blind man Bartimaeus. It was a faith that grew out of listening. He has never seen Jesus nor has he ever witnessed any of Jesus’ miracles. Yet in the darkness brought about by his blindness, his faith increased little by little as he heard about this man they called Jesus of Nazareth.

Then one fine day, as Bartimaeus did his usual begging on the streets, he heard about the man he had long learned to believe in. His reaction was quick. He shouted and shouted and shouted all the more, unmindful of the reactions of the crowd. He just wanted to tell Jesus, the son of David, to have pity on him and see his miserable condition. And when Jesus called him, his response was swift and immediate. He threw aside his cloak and sprang up. For a man who begged and had few possessions, throwing aside a precious belonging like a cloak meant that he was prepared to take the risk of losing a prized possession just so he could meet Jesus.

And when the blind man finally got his audience with Jesus, it seems strange that Jesus would ask him: “ What do you want me to do for you?” Didn’t Jesus see he was blind? Then why did Jesus still ask him what he wanted?

Perhaps, Jesus wanted him to acknowledge his blindness. By telling the Lord that he wanted to see, the blind man openly discloses to Jesus his disability; a disability that has made his life miserable ever since.

Our disabilities can become the means by which we can reach our  Saviour. The acknowledgement of our disabilities before him can speak loudly to the Lord about our miseries and may compel him to have pity on us.

But while the acknowledgement of our disabilities may lead us to the Savior, it is ultimately our faith in him that will heal us. It is our faith in him that will allow us to unceasingly cry out to him just like Bartimaeus; not wanting to stop until he hears us. It is our faith in him that will allow us to throw away, even our most precious possession, just so we could be healed by him whom we have believed.

We all have disabilities in life. Acknowledging them and having faith in the Lord who heals is one beautiful lesson we can learn from the blind man Bartimaeus. Jesus is never far from anyone who needs healing. Let us not stop calling upon the name of the Lord, for he cares much about us.

Prayer

            I call upon you Lord day and night but it seems that you do not hear me. Today, you tell me not to stop calling you even when events and circumstances in my life discourage me to do so. Hear my voice and have pity on me because you are never far from anyone who needs healing. Amen.

^“The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.”  - Psalm 34: 18

For reflections like these, visit my blog: thevineyardlaborer.blogspot.com