Thirtieth Sunday in Ordinary Time: What does it mean to see?

What would it be like to be blind from birth? Sight gives one way of understanding the world, blindness another. The discrepancy is inexplicable.

We have many accounts of Jesus healing a blind man. This was one of his specialties and a sign that he was “the one who is to come” (Luke 7:18-23). How John 9 he emphasizes that miracles were not primarily a show of power, but a metaphor for teaching.

Bartimaeus was both blind and a beggar. This means he was probably harassing passersby without knowing who they were. How could he tell the difference between a poor widow and a tax collector? Like some we see in our cities, he must have been willing to plead with every person within earshot.

And now Mark’s symbolic details. Bartimaeus “heard” that Jesus was nearby. Hearing is the first step to believing, and Bart must have heard about Jesus before. Hearing can arouse curiosity. You may wonder, “Could this be true?” How can we know? Bartimaeus’ curiosity and need gave him the courage to make a scene in spite of those who preferred to ignore him. This guy wouldn’t be silenced, he had too much to lose:”Son of David! Have mercy on me!”

Bartimaeus’ screams were impossible to ignore, so Jesus told his disciples to call out to him. They didn’t have to talk twice. Bartimaeus jumped. Using only his ears to move, he found Jesus. Jesus saw him and asked him what he wanted.

Phew!

“Master, I want to see!”

This statement brings us to the heart of the matter. What did Bartimaeus really want to see? How could he know? He heard about Jesus and received an invitation. He asks for something else he’s heard about but can’t imagine. Then Jesus tells him he already has it: “Your faith has saved you.”

Hmm? What did that mean?

What did Bartimaeus have? “Belief.” How did Jesus know? He called Jesus “Son of David.” Peter had recently called Jesus the Messiah, even though he could not accept what Jesus said about the suffering Messiah. Bartimaeus called Jesus “Son of David.” He called on Jesus as the royal leader who united the people and brought the Ark of the Covenant to Jerusalem.

Bartimaeus asked Jesus for “mercy.” Mercy, eeeeo in Greek it goes beyond compassion and pity. Whoever shows mercy takes on the need of another. In the Gospel perspective, Bartimaeus asked Jesus to be and act as he was, the Son of God identified with humanity. Every time we humbly repeat his words, we repeat the words of Bartimaeus: “Kyrie EllisonLord, have mercy, help us see.”

Even though Bartimaeus had just seen Jesus for the first time, he showed more faith than Peter and the other disciples. Bartimaeus paid attention to what he heard about Jesus and allowed it to pique his curiosity. At Jesus’ invitation, Bartimaeus left his things and went to Jesus, saying, “Teacher, I want to see.”

The story of Bartimaeus concludes part of the Gospel of Mark (Mark 8:22–10:52). This unit began with the partially successful healing of a blind man, followed by Jesus’ three predictions about the Passion, an idea that the disciples did not want to understand. The section ends with Bartimaeus’s symbolic request to see more than he could understand. He wanted to transcend his limited perspective. Mark juxtaposed these events to teach that accepting Christ’s point of view is a long process that may require more than one beginning.

Unlike the disciples who stuck to their definition of the Messiah, Bartimaeus allowed Jesus to explain and fulfill his mission. Bartimaeus expressed the faith that James and John lacked as they sought glory (Mark 10:32-41). He believed enough to ask for help and was humble enough to go wherever Jesus was going – not knowing what it would mean. Without boasting, without plans and without fear, Bartimaeus wanted Jesus to lead him. He was ready to begin to see Jesus’ way of seeing the world, a way that many chose to ignore (John 9:40-41).

Mark presents Bartimaeus as a mature disciple. If Bartimaeus were here, he might implore us to listen deeply to the good news in our divided world. He would probably tell us that we really need to listen to and respect points of view different from our own.

He would urge us to realize and accept that we are blind to more than we see. He would remind us that recognizing and adapting to Christ’s point of view is not a one-time process (Mark 8:22-25). If Bartimaeus were here, he might implore us to listen deeply to the good news in our divided world. Finally, he would say that he knows for sure that admitting our blindness and asking for mercy will open us to what Christ has always wanted to give us.

Master, we want to see!

Today is the feast of San Martín de Porres of Peru, the illegitimate child of Anna Valezquez, a formerly enslaved Afro-Panamanian Spanish nobleman who abandoned his family after the birth of Martín’s younger sister. Martin is the first person of African descent from the Americas to be declared a saint.

Although Martín is said to have miraculous powers of bilocation, the ability to communicate with animals and heal, his specialty was service. One day he met a beggar in pain and brought him to his bed in the monastery. When his superior scolded him for allowing a dirty, contagious stranger into the monastery, Martín replied that he could easily wash the sheets but felt no guilt in ignoring the poor. Disregarding the difference between his brother’s rank and that of his superior, Martín replied, “Compassion, dear brother, is better than purity.” Martin could be a good interpreter of today’s Liturgy of the Word.