There is a sense of relief when the Homecoming weekend is over. Being able to see the many different floats and all the routines that were performed during the parade on Saturday morning made last weekend especially exciting.
I think back on times when I was involved with projects, when a group was needed to accomplish a goal and how much a community effort was needed to reach the deadline; the last minute details that were overlooked or requirements that were not met and the mad scramble to fix them.
When I was reading this week’s Gospel I was thinking about how the blind man got his voice heard.
It struck me as there was a performance in front of the WERG broadcast stand, where I was during the Homecoming parade, and I heard a woman yelling for her child. The child was not paying attention so the woman asked a man to get her child’s attention. It wasn’t until the man touched the child on the shoulder that she gave him her attention, and then recognized her mother.
So we enter this week’s story with a man named Bartimaeus, who is blind. He was sitting by the roadside begging. Bartimaeus heard that Jesus was coming and began to cry out, “Jesus, son of David, have pity on me.”
The next part of the Gospel is what is so fascinating. The Gospel of Mark tells us that “Many rebuked him, telling him to be silent.” Why so? What was so wrong with this blind man calling out for help along the path? And why would people tell him to be silent?
This instruction to be silent did not influence the man to be quiet. “The man cried out all the more.” Jesus stops and says, “Call him.”
We are sitting there with the folks at this scene. What is it you see? Jesus calls out to the one to whom many told to be quiet. There was an unpopular action by the man and he called out to Jesus in his blindness and only asked Jesus to have pity on him.
Maybe Bartimaeus was so desperate that he figured, “Hey, what the heck, it can’t hurt.” I think we have all been in that place.
One of the most faithful women I know is my mom. She is not a woman who goes to Mass, nor does she even profess to be “heaven bound.” She does go to light a candle to St. Joan of Arc at our local parish back home when she is so moved.
There is a seemingly unorthodox faith about her. She has told me on occasion that she is not even certain there is a God.
Don’t cringe just yet because here is what I see. My dear ‘ole mother took in countless children and adults to help get their lives in order. She asks me to say a prayer and promises to pray for me too. Pretty useless if there is no God, yet she does it.
Bartimaeus is sitting on the road and hears Jesus coming and yells for him to come to take pity on him. Not to heal but to take pity on him, perhaps to sit and be a friend or to give him some insight to a vocation.
Now after Jesus calls to the man the same people look to the blind man and ask him to go to Jesus. Jesus stepped up and changed him by healing him from his infirmities. Jesus showed interest in Bartimaeus and so others did too.
It is easy to be the one to recognize the people that God has blessed, but can we see the good in the ones that are not seemingly blessed? Check your local paper and see the needs of others for a wonderful transformation. The gospel is all about evangelizing, and it is how we do it that has the lasting effect.
If I am like the people in Mark’s Gospel, who tell Bartimaeus to be quiet when he is listening for Jesus to speak, then I need to refocus my life. Listening for Jesus’ voice can be very tricky. It takes a keen ear and a shut mouth to hear his voice. If I somehow think that I am able to judge who Jesus wants to heal or to sit and speak with, then I am an arrogant fool.
Don’t underestimate the power you have to bring others to Jesus. Just listening or sitting with someone who is struggling is being Jesus for each other.
Here is the key: Bartimaeus got up and followed the way. Bartimaeus, after being healed, turned to walk with Jesus. So remember this week to lift up your friends to the Lord and ask for help.
