OCTOBER 24, 2021 — THIRTIETH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME
JER 31:7-9; PS 126:1-2, 2-3, 4-5, 6; HEB 5:1-6; MK 10:46-52
Our Psalm today, “The Lord has done great things for us; we are filled with joy,” sheds light on our glorious Gospel reading about the healing of the blind man, Bartimaeus.
If we place ourselves in this Gospel passage, we can imagine that Jesus had gained quite a few followers from His words and miraculous healings. As He left Jericho in the midst of a large crowd of disciples, Bartimaeus sat on the roadside. Although he was blind, he knew who was in his midst. And although there was a crowd, he confidently called out, “Jesus, son of David, have pity on me.”
Many encouraged him to stop, yet he cried out “all the more.” And in the midst of the chaos, Jesus heard him as He said, “call him.”
We can learn a lot from Bartimaeus when it comes to our own personal relationships with Jesus. Many of us struggle with something from which we need healing — physical blindness, illness, addiction, bad habits, anger, sin. In our weakness, do we confidently cry out to Jesus knowing that He will help us?
Oftentimes we begin to, but then a voice in our thoughts tells us to doubt and encourages us to stop trying, like the crowd in our Gospel. Although that voice is persistent and strong, we are called to cry out all the more. If Jesus can hear one voice in a crowd of many, then He can hear our direct prayer to Him in our hearts.
When Bartimaeus heard that Jesus called him, “He threw aside his cloak, sprang up, and came to Jesus.”
There are many times throughout our day that Jesus calls us towards Him. They are opportunities for us to spring up and move closer to Christ on our journey as disciples. It could simply be a moment of helping someone who is struggling instead of passing them by, cooking dinner for your family with a joyful heart after an exhausting day, or using that spare 10 minutes of your day to sit in silence with the Lord instead of getting one more thing done around the house. It is through these day-to-day moments that we can encounter Christ as Bartimaeus did.
Our Gospel story closes with the miraculous moment when Bartimaeus is healed. The conversation with Jesus was simple. Jesus asked Bartimaeus what he would like Him to do. This man, blind for who knows how many years, desired sight. Jesus responded, “Go your way; your faith has saved you.” He was healed and continued to follow Christ.
There was not much that Bartimaeus had to do to become healed. All he needed was his undoubting faith.
Whatever it is that we are struggling with in this life, all Jesus asks of us is to have faith in Him. As a result, we will remain steadfast in our relationship with Christ and will have the strength to keep going. And although we might not be healed in this life, Jesus still hears our confident cries. And through our faith we will surely be healed in the next.
Whatever it is that you desire to be healed from today, confidently cry out to Jesus in prayer. He is listening. And when you hear the voice of doubt, keep praying. Strive to have unwavering faith that Jesus is with you, He hears you and will heal you in His way and His time. Know that the Lord has done great things for us and will continue to do so — so let our hearts be filled with joy.
