Thirtieth Sunday in Ordinary time Year B 24th October 2021
Lectionary Readings: Jeremiah 31 v7-9; Psalm 126; Hebrews 7 v23-28; Mark 10 v46-52.
‘Faith’ and ‘Sight’.
The Collins Bible Dictionary defines faith as: ‘Essentially an attitude of mind and heart by which a person entrusts themselves to God. The Bible’s own definition is that ‘faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see’ (Hebrews 11.1). This verse refers to the object of faith as the unseen God and his promises, especially concerning Jesus Christ (John 14.1), and the effect of faith as a deep assurance about God and his ability to keep his promises. This sense of assurance does not mean the believer has no doubts, but rather that an awareness of God’s unfailing love and provision can sustain a person in all the circumstances of life’.
Mark tells us that when the blind beggar, Bartimaeus, heard that Jesus of Nazareth was passing by he shouted, “Jesus, Son of David, have pity on me”. (v47). A footnote in my Bible explains that ‘The Jewish people expected the Messiah to be from the family of King David, and for this reason the Messiah was often called the ‘Son of David’.
Bartimaeus had a ‘sure and certain faith’ in Jesus’ ability to heal his blindness. He persisted in calling out even when told to stop doing so.
Why does Mark have Jesus ask him “What do you want me to do for you?”(v51a). Is Mark using this story and the previous one about the healing of a blind person (Mark 8 v22-26) to frame the issue of Jesus’ true identity, recounted in the intervening stories? Is Mark challenging us to explore both senses of the word ‘sight’? Physical sight and spiritual insight.
Bartimaeus replies to Jesus’ by saying “Master, I want to see!”(v51b). Jesus told him, “You may go. Your eyes are healed because of your faith.” Straight away the man could see, and he went down the road with Jesus. (v52). By recording the fact that he followed Jesus, Mark is implying that Bartimaeus became a disciple of Jesus, recognising him for the Messiah he was, and not just out of gratitude for his healing.
Geoff Bullock speaks of the need for Jesus to ‘unveil’ our eyes in his hymn ‘Lord, I come to you’.
(Singing the Faith 471).
Lord, I come to you, let my heart be changed, renewed,
flowing from the grace that I found in you.
And Lord, I’ve come to know the weaknesses I see in me
will be stripped away by the power of your love.
Hold me close, let your love surround me;
bring me near, draw me to your side.
And as I wait, I’ll rise up like the eagle,
and I will soar with you, your Spirit leads me on
in the power of your love.
Lord, unveil my eyes, let me see you face to face,
the knowledge of your love as you live in me.
Lord, renew my mind, as your will unfolds in my life
in living every day by the power of your love.
Bible quotations are taken from the Contemporary English Version.