By Fr Francis Gonsalves, SJ-
30th Sunday of the Year – Cycle B
Readings: Jer 31:7-9; Heb 5:1-6; Mk 10:46-52
“Master, let me receive my sight!” (Mk)
Three Scriptural Signposts:
1. The tone of the Book of Jeremiah is usually one of darkness and destruction in the context of the sins of the people and the eventual destruction of Jerusalem and the exile to Babylon. However, in the midst of this apparent pessimism and hopelessness, there is a wellspring of hope in the ‘Book of Comfort’ – which has three chapters, 30-33, at the centre of the book – that breathe promise and hope.
Today’s first reading from chapter 31 is specifically addressed to ‘the remnant of Israel’ who are also known as the anawim or what we call in our own time, the least of God’s people, Christ’s sisters and brothers. God will bring about a restoration and lead “a great company” back, which will include “the blind and the lame”. Note that blindness is not merely a physiological category indicating inability to see, but is also a symbolic-spiritual state of the blindness of “foolish and senseless people” described in Jeremiah, chapter 5:21 – “who have eyes, but do not see, who have ears, but do not hear.”
2. The theme of blindness is reiterated in today’s gospel passage when Jesus heals blind Bartimaeus. Though physically blind, Bartimaeus is truly Jesus’ bhakta (devotee) whom God has blessed with the ‘eyes of faith’. Many details indicate that Bartimaeus is a man of deep faith. First, Bartimaeus seems to have heard about Jesus’ compassion and power to heal; hence, he begins to shout.
Second, his prayer for pity is poignant:
“Son of David, Jesus, have pity on me!” Third, although the people around Jesus scold him and tell him to keep quiet, he shouts even louder, “Son of David, have pity on me!” Fourth, his eagerness for healing is apparent as he “throws off his cloak” and “jumps up” to meet Jesus. Fifth, his entreaty for healing is endearing, “Rabbuni, Master, let me see again!”
3. The gospel passage can be interpreted from Bartimaeus’s viewpoint. Moreover, seen from Jesus’ eyes, one realizes that Jesus admires his faith and says, “Go your way; your faith has made you well.” The climax of the story, however, comes in the last line; namely, Bartimaeus “followed Jesus along the road.”
Unlike the rich young man mad after money, and unlike the disciples preoccupied with positions of power, whom we reflected upon the past two Sundays, Bartimaeus shows us what deep faith and true discipleship is all about. Even before Jesus restores his eyesight, he seems to see with the eyes of faith. Truly, believing is seeing, not the other way around!
Three Signposts from Tradition:
1. St Basil (329-379 AD): “Faith and works must be joined: so shall the man of God be perfect, and his life not halt through any imperfection. For the faith which saves us, as says the Apostle, is that which works by love.”
2. The Russian Pilgrim: The prayer of Bartimaeus finds expression in the Christian classic ‘The Way of the Pilgrim’, with the pilgrim repeating the invocation, “Jesus, son of David, have mercy on me!” ceaselessly. Everyone, anytime and anywhere can repeat this simple plea—even in the busiest of circumstances—for compassion, acknowledging the power and lordship of Jesus Christ.
3. Pope Francis to students on ‘Faith’: “The life of faith is a journey. Journeying is an art because if we’re always in a hurry, we get tired and don’t arrive at our journey’s goal…If we stop, we don’t go forward and we also miss the goal. Journeying is precisely the art of looking toward the horizon, thinking where I want to go but also enduring the fatigue of the journey, which is sometimes difficult. There are dark days, even days when we fail, even days when we fall; but always think of this: Don’t be afraid of failures and of falling. What matters in the art of journeying isn’t not falling but not staying down. Get up right away and continue going forward. This is what’s beautiful in a life of faith.”
A Possible Link of the 2nd Reading to the Theme:
The Letter to the Hebrews speaks about the priesthood of Jesus whose life was one of sacrifice and solidarity sinners. With his compassion and solidarity with God’s little ones, he restores sight to the blind (physical healings) as well as reaffirms us in our faith (spiritual sustenance). He is the anchor upon which we can build our faith.
Three Current Youth-Based Concerns: Three takeaways from the Synod of Youth currently drawing to a close: (a) Meeting on the side lines of the Synod, Pope Francis told the Indian delegation: “Do not forget that youth is richness; make it fruitful for the benefit of all. You have the future in your hands. The present is in your hands. Go ahead! Do not be discouraged!” (b) Though disappointed by church-scandals, especially regarding the behaviour of church leaders, youth vow to remain faithful to the Church. (c) The youth are enthused by the pope’s exhortation to them to “reach the ends of the earth” with the latest that technology has to offer, without, of course, being slaves to technology.
Reflection:
Bhaktas like Bartimaeus challenge me: How much of faith do I have? Am I not sometimes blinder than Bartimaeus ever was? Don’t I often adopt a ‘seeing is believing’ attitude in life rather than a ‘believing is seeing’ disposition to see God behind all his wonderful creations? We can indeed sing the psalm of today: “What marvels the Lord has worked for us! Indeed, we are glad!” (Ps 126).
For those who believe, no proof is needed. For those who don’t, no proof is sufficient!
Tale to Tell:
One misty night, when the city lights went off, an elderly couple lost their way and couldn’t get back home amidst the darkness. Seeking help, they saw a man with a stick walking towards them. “Sir,” they cried, ‘Can you help us find our way home?” The man said, “Yes,” and asked them where they lived. He then walked with them all the way to their house. Grateful, the couple asked, “How come you can see so clearly despite this mist and darkness?” The man was silent awhile. He then replied, “I’m blind; so, I’m used to reaching places even in the darkness!”
Fr. Francis Gonsalves is a Gujarat Jesuit, former Principal of Vidyajyoti College, Delhi, and currently Dean of Theology at Jnana-Deepa Vidyapeeth, Pune. He is also the Executive Secretary of the CCBI Commission for Theology and Doctrine. He has authored many books and articles and is a columnist with The Asian Age and The Deccan Chronicle national dailies.