FROM THE PULPIT
THIRTIETH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME YEAR B
SCRIPTURE: Jeremiah 31: 7-9; Psalm 126; Hebrews 5: 1-6; Mark 10: 46-52.
REFLECTION: Restoration and sign of Fulfillment.
Fr. Benoit Mukamba, CSSp.
A long lasting undesirable condition such as illness, pain, disability, sinful practice or relation, economic or sociological down trends may cast a shadow over our faith in the Almighty God. These conditions may be experienced at a personal and/or societal level. They indicate the presence of evil in our lives. Such experience may shed doubt in human faith and hope for a better future. God can sometimes seem to be absent or disinterested in dealing with the evil of the world or again, incapable of putting evil to an end. But, in the return of Israel from the Babylonian Exile and the healing of the blind man, God reasserts his supremacy and goodness. While the return from exile brought the lame and blind, the presence of Jesus inaugurates the fulfilment with the blind and lames being made whole again.
The story from the Book of the Prophet Jeremiah celebrates the marvelous work of mercy as God brought back the Israelites to their own land. The Israelites had longed for many decades to be free to return to Zion but the kings of Babylon wouldn’t let them go. Their hopes were waning as days and years went by. Their confidence in God was also fading. In his goodness, God kept sending prophets to them to kindle the fire of faith and hope. When God’s time came, he freed them in a way that they never expected. Those in whom the fire of faith and hope was still burning welcomed the call to return to the Promised Land. People of all classes and abilities were restored to their own land. They recovered their freedom of life and worshipping the living God.
The blind man Bartimaeus lived in a land that hoped in God’s final restoration of Israel to Himself. He shared such a hope. Upon hearing that Jesus of Nazareth was passing by, he knew Heaven had smiled on him. He made his first move by asking for pity or mercy. Such a move is the first step in the prayer of petition manifesting his trusting humility to God. Bartimaeus acknowledges the kingship of Jesus in relation to King David. King David was a beloved of God (1 Samuel 13; 14; 18; Acts 13:22). Israel grew to know David as the son of God. When Bartimaeus heard that Jesus was calling him, he threw aside his cloak, sprang up and came to Jesus. His cloak! This cloak provided him comfort, protected him from weather conditions and above all it gave him the look of a needy person. This cloak might have been the only clothing for the night and day. Bartimaeus might have been using the same cloak for hiding his revenues from begging.
He threw it away, freeing himself from the old way of life and entrusting himself to Jesus’ mercy. 51 “What do you want me to do for you?” Jesus asked him. This question is very important to you and me. Jesus did not presume the need of Bartimaeus as most of us would do. Often, we think people standing by road junctions begging just want a dollar or five. We think they are lazy people who take advantage of hardworking foxes like us; or they are drug users who want to misuse our charities. We do not address their deepest longings. Jesus shows us a model to follow. Jesus might have referred Bartimaeus to Judas, his finance guy or to any other disciple to dismiss the blind beggar. He gave Bartimaeus the opportunity to express his heart’s desire. The blind man said, “Rabbi, I want to see.”
Bartimaeus had many options to choose, easier options expected of him. Beside himself, his income might have been profiting many other people. Now that he sees, nobody was going to give him money or assistance for nothing. This gift of sight came with challenges. Now he will have to work and lead a different life. The beginning must have been difficult but the healed man was filled with hope and courage for a better life. He embraced the new life with enthusiasm. Without Jesus requesting to follow him, Bartimaeus chose the way of Jesus.
My dear brothers and sisters, Jesus stands before each one of us asking, “What do you want me to do for you?” Take a moment of silence and reflect what answer to give to Jesus. What is the deepest longing of your soul? What have you always wished to be freed of? What have you always longed to receive from God? As you return home, I recommend you to voice to God your request to Jesus in the secrecy of your room. Take time to listen to Jesus’ response. Today might be the day of your encounter with Jesus. Who knows whether God has smiled on you today just as he did for Bartimaeus. Approach him with trusting humility.