In the Gospel this Sunday the blind man, Bartimaeus, makes a very simple request to Jesus: “Master, let me see again.” Bartimaeus has first addressed Jesus as “Son of David”. This implies recognition of Jesus as the Messiah. It is the first time in the Gospel of Mark that anyone publicly acknowledges Jesus as the Messiah, after Peter has privately made his profession of faith.
The blind man has what he needs – faith, and he throws off his cloak – a sign of the giving up of possessions. This request to Jesus -the Light of the World – to see has a metaphorical significance. It is the Light of the World because he enables us all to see clearly how we should live.
Bartimaeus asks “Let me see again”. The word “again” implies the restoration to wholeness from the state he was in. He had lost wholeness due to sin. Very importantly Bartimaeus makes a radical response to this miracle – he follows Jesus as he journeys on with his disciples on the road. This road leads to Jesus’ suffering, death and resurrection.
This is a story of conversion – for all of us. We must all have faith and acknowledge Jesus as the Messiah – our Saviour. We must accept the gift of the fullness of life, which we received at baptism. This entails seeing clearly the reality of good and evil and understanding what we must then do. We must be prepared to be generous with our possessions and follow Jesus wherever he leads us. It will risk some suffering and will certainly entail death to self, but it is the life now which will lead to eternal life. This life is something we experience– in our ability to say “yes” to others because we are free to love.
Bartimaeus was able to follow Jesus immediately. Even if we feel that we have not truly followed Christ up to now the Gospel shows us how we can start right away.
Yours in Christ,
D Timothy OSB
