IN THE gospel of Mark, there were two stories in the healing of the blind man. In the gospel today, the blind man Bartimaeus was not shy to call out Jesus, “Son of David, have mercy on me.” These words became the prayer of a group of monks. They repeated the words everyday - from their mouths to their hearts until the prayer becomes their persons. Blindness is not only physical - Bartimaeus “saw” something in Jesus what his followers cannot see for themselves. Bartimaeus was blind but he saw more in Jesus than the rest of the crowd.
The gospel today showed us that people were bothered and disturbed by the “cry of Bartimaeus.” So they wanted to keep him quiet. He repeated his cries for Jesus every time the crowd tried to stop him or discouraged him.
What did Jesus do? He listened. He told the crowd to call Bartimaeus. This time the crowd encouraged him. They were commanded by Jesus to help the blind man. Upon hearing that Jesus’ called him, Bartimaeus left everything and walked towards Jesus. He does not have much but he left everything. I can imagine the crowd slowly opening a path for him and Bartimaeus hearing only the voice of Jesus approaching him.
Jesus asked him, “What do you want me to do for you?” Straight away, he told Jesus, “Rabbuni, my Lord let me see again.” Bartimaeus clearly had faith in Jesus. He cried out to him knowing that Jesus would listen and heal him. Upon hearing that Jesus had called him - he dropped everything. He threw away his cloak and followed Jesus.
According to one biblical commentator, the cloak could have at least two meanings: an exterior tunic that was his upper garment, or it was a large square piece of cloth that the blind man spread in front of him to collect coins from the people. The act of throwing off his cloak shows a renunciation which the rich young man could not do in the last Sunday’s gospel. Bartimaeus was no longer in need of the cloak - he goes out to Jesus just as he has no more cloak to cover his imperfections and sins, just himself - naked before God. Nor does he need to beg from people anymore, he is a healed man now. His security is no longer tied with the cloak but with Jesus.
What is the cloak that we continue to hold on to? What is that cloak that we find so difficult to let go? What is that cloak that prevents us from being totally available to Jesus?
The incident in the gospel today reminds us that God’s call is also a healing encounter. Bartimaeus responded to the call of Jesus in faith and was transformed. “Your faith has saved you,” Jesus told him - that moment he was healed and he followed Jesus. Bartimaeus is a model of discipleship in following Jesus along the road to Jerusalem - the road is not perfect but it leads to our true home.
Jesus listened. He allowed himself to be bothered and disturbed by the cry of Bartimaeus. How often have we failed to listen to our neighbor? Many times we have become numbed and deaf to the cries of our neighbors.
Who are the Bartimaeus of our times, people who we silenced because we do not want to be discomforted, disturbed and bothered? They could be the Lumads, the farmers and fisher folks who cry for justice when they are torn away from their lands and fishing grounds in the name of development and then labeled as communists.
It could be the orphans and widows of the victims of extra-judicial killings. It could be the poor who continue to struggle in order to survive everyday. It could be the earth who like the poor cries out to us who continue to exploit and destroy it. In Pope Francis’ second encyclical “Laudato Si,” he calls out to everyone not only Catholics to heed “both the cry of the Earth and the poor.’ Listen like Jesus listened.
Bartimaeus was physically blind but he could see spiritually. But unlike Bartimaeus, we can see physically but we are spiritually blind like Jesus’ followers. They have seen what Jesus had done but still they do not see and understand him.
Many of us could be going through some rough and difficult times. We seek to find meaning in our lives. Do not be afraid to cry out to Jesus like Bartimaeus. Cry out to Him like he is the only person who can hear you. Cry out to Him, “Son of David, Jesus have mercy on me.”