Daily Gospel Reflection
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May 30, 2024
As Jesus was leaving Jericho with his disciples and a sizable crowd,
Bartimaeus, a blind man, the son of Timaeus,
sat by the roadside begging.
On hearing that it was Jesus of Nazareth,
he began to cry out and say,
“Jesus, son of David, have pity on me.”
And many rebuked him, telling him to be silent.
But he kept calling out all the more, “Son of David, have pity on me.”
Jesus stopped and said, “Call him.”
So they called the blind man, saying to him,
“Take courage; get up, Jesus is calling you.”
He threw aside his cloak, sprang up, and came to Jesus.
Jesus said to him in reply, “What do you want me to do for you?”
The blind man replied to him, “Master, I want to see.”
Jesus told him, “Go your way; your faith has saved you.”
Immediately he received his sight
and followed him on the way.
Many of us recognize the phrase, “Change is hard.” We often use this to describe a change we undergo in the school we attend, the career we hold, or the home we live in. As humans, we tend to become comfortable with our current state and can resist change in our lives as it frequently brings us into the unknown—the unknown can be frightening.
In the gospel today, however, we hear about two changes that seem to have happened quite easily. The most obvious change happens to Bartimaeus, the man born blind whose sight was restored. Of course, he is the named character in this account who clearly calls out to Jesus and wants to be healed. The restoration of his sight is a genuine miracle that brings Bartimaeus into a new way of life.
There is a second change in this story, though that is a bit more subtle. The crowd itself changed, too. Notice that they first block the pathway to Jesus and rebuke Bartimaeus, telling him to be silent. However, within three lines of text, their attitude changes, and the people serve as a guide to Jesus. They tell Bartimaeus to have courage and get up because Jesus wants to see him. So, what led to the change of the crowd? The simple command and words of Jesus, “Call him.”
Are there areas of my life where Jesus is giving us direction, like he instructed the crowd? Is this change simply in our attitudes toward family members, friends, or co-workers? Would this change help us be better guides in leading others toward Jesus Christ? This type of change is subtle but not hard, and it can give us a whole new way of life, bringing us into the beauty of the unknown.
Prayer
Lord, like Bartimaeus, the blind man, we stand in deep need of your healing grace in our lives. and yet, unlike him, we often let our shame prevent us from calling out to you. Grant us the courage and faith of Bartimaeus so that in our need we might cry out to you all the more and thus experience your healing and saving presence. Amen.