Monday of the Thirty-third Week in Ordinary Time
“For greater things you were born.” (Ven. Mother Luisita)
MONDAY, November 15th Lk. 18: 35-43 “A blind man shouted, ‘Son of David, have mercy on me.’ Jesus asked him, ‘What do you want me to do for you?’ He replied, ‘Lord, please let me see.’ Jesus told him, ‘Have sight; your faith has saved you.’”
- Do we have faith? Let each one of us look into the depths of our heart and soul before answering this question.
- Do I have as much faith as Bartimaeus? Do I ask Our Lord to provide all that I need? Do I accept all that He gives me, even when it is not what I want? Even when it leads me to the cross?
- The cross accepted in holy obedience is always salutary to bolster our weak and fallen nature and foster growth in holiness. More than that, our crosses borne in holy obedience may prove not only salutary, but necessary for the salvation of those we pray for!
BARTIMAEUS: “HAVE MERCY ON ME!” by Fr. Ed Broom, OMV
To be blind is an almost infinite source of suffering. The greeting of the sunrise at the break of dawn, the majestic rainbow after a torrential downpour, the colorful multitude and variety of spring flowers decorating the meadows and fields, the sky awesome with the brilliance of the sun shining during the day and the moon and profusion of stars illuminating the darkness of the night, the smiling face of an infant in the arms of a joyful Mother, the sweeping wings of an Eagle as he soars to the mountain heights—all of these majestic reflections of creation are a mere glimpse for us of the Beauty of the Creator, and mere fiction for the eyes of the person born blind!!!
Let us enter the inner world of a blind man whom we meet in the Gospel of Saint Mark with the name BARTIMAEUS. For short, we can call him blind Bart.
This passage is about a blind man who has a personal encounter with Jesus, who is truly the Light of the World, and who came to cast out the darkness of sin. Jesus, who can touch and heal us in the depths of our hearts.
BEG FOR A SPECIAL GRACE. Why not beg for a special grace, the grace to see yourself with the people and the world that surrounds you, with the specific purpose of recognizing your own blindness, and then beg most fervently for mercy, for God’s infinite mercy! That in His love, mercy, and kindness He will touch you and heal you of your blindness, that He will touch your eyes and give you sight to recognize how sin blinds us to the Light of God’s Face and His presence in others!
COMPOSITION OF PLACE. Now try to picture the scene in today’s Gospel: the place, the persons, the social milieu, the blind man, and most especially, Jesus and His reaction to the blind man. All of this is related to your own life and circumstances!
1. BART THE BLIND. He is blind and makes no bones about calling out his lack of sight. How often has it happened that we fail to recognize and humbly admit that we have been blind and are still blind in certain areas of our lives? There is a well-known Spanish proverb pertinent to our topic: “No hay un peor ciego que aquel que no quiere ver; no hay peor sordo que aquel que no quiere oir.” Translated: “There is no worse blind man than the blind man who does not want to see; there is no worse deaf person than the deaf person who does not want to hear.” The first step in healing is the humble admission that we are sick!
2. HE HEARS THE CROWD. Even though Bart is blind, his hearing is acute. He hears the crowd and the noise, and he knows someone is passing by. May our prayer be: “Speak, O Lord, for your servant is listening.” (1 Sam 3:10)
3. IT IS JESUS WHO IS PASSING BY. Upon hearing that it is Jesus, Bart is filled with enthusiasm in his desire to come in contact with Jesus. Like Bart, knowing we have the possibility of encountering Jesus, we also should be filled with enthusiasm and do all we can to meet the Lord—in prayer, in Mass and Holy Communion, in Adoration!
4. YELLS OUT AT THE TOP OF HIS LUNGS. Bart’s enthusiasm is beyond control as he yells out at the very top of his lungs: “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!!!” In other words, Bart begs humbly but with great insistence in his desire to experience the Infinite Mercy of Jesus. What a powerful example for us to follow!
5. SHUT THAT GUY UP!!! For many in the crowd, Bart is seen as a nuisance, you might even say a real big mouth. They try to shut him up, prevent him from yelling and disturbing the crowd, much worse disturbing Jesus, the Master!
6. USELESS—AN EXERCISE IN FUTILITY. Despite their efforts, the crowd cannot get Bart to CLAM UP! To the contrary, the more they try to prevent him from crying out to Jesus, the louder is his cry! In other words, Bart is determined to meet up with Jesus, whatever the cost. Being yelled at, cursed, humiliated—nothing is going to prevent Bart from pursuing an encounter with Jesus.
7. TELL HIM TO COME. Now Jesus speaks, inviting Bart to come to Him. How beautiful this passage, an invitation to come meet Jesus! Jesus is inviting you to meet Him every time you begin to pray, every time you make your Holy Hour, every time you attend Holy Mass. He desires to meet us more than we desire to meet Him! How good, merciful, and loving Jesus truly is!
8. MORE ENTHUSIASM FOR BART! Upon hearing the invitation, Bart springs to his feet like a super-ball! Imagine the poor blind man springing to his feet and heading towards the sound of Jesus voice, enveloped in the darkness of his blindness, oblivious of anything that might be in his way! Blind or not, Bart is determined to encounter Jesus! Think how much more we appreciate encountering Jesus after having encountered seemingly insurmountable obstacles!
9. THIS IS JESUS’ QUESTION FOR BART AND FOR US: “WHAT DO YOU WANT ME TO DO FOR YOU?” This is a very important question! Jesus poses this question to Bart, but also, right now Jesus is posing this question to you and to me!
10. OPEN YOUR HEART AND TELL THE LORD. Without any fear, tension, or anxiety, open up your heart to the Lord. He really wants to listen to you. He really wants to help you. He really is the only one who can help you in your struggles and worries! Speak to Jesus from the very depths of your heart. He will listen to you very attentively and He will respond to you. In that quiet voice that you hear in your mind and heart, or in the events and circumstances of your day—He is speaking to you.
11. LORD, I WANT TO SEE!!! Bart does not have to think twice. He knows exactly what he desires and needs most in his life. He wants to see! He wants to be healed of the blindness that has caused him so much suffering in his life.
12. SIN AND BLINDNESS. One of the many negative effects of sin is that it causes blindness. Saint Thomas Aquinas, the Angelic Doctor, asserts that most especially the sin of Lust/Impurity causes blindness to our spiritual eyes. We are all sinners! Like Bart, why not beg the Lord to be merciful to you and to touch the very eyes of your soul so as to cure your spiritual blindness.
13. JESUS SAYS: GO YOUR WAY. YOUR FAITH HAS HEALED YOU! Immediately, Bart receives his sight. Pray that like Bart, the Lord Jesus, the Light of the World, will give you true sight so as to be able to see Him, hear His voice, and follow in His footsteps. The mercy of Jesus and His healing power is in direct proportion and commensurate with our faith or our lack of faith!
14. FAITH. Perhaps your prayer might include a desire to grow in faith. With the man in the Gospel, you might pray as such: “Lord, I believe; help my unbelief!” (Mk 9:24) Or this prayer, “Lord, I believe, but strengthen my faith!”
15. RESPONSE TO THE MIRACLE OF HEALING HIS SIGHT: BART FOLLOWS JESUS! An interesting note in the whole healing episode of Bartimaeus is that as soon as his sight is restored by Jesus, who is truly the Light of the World, he follows Jesus. Who would have been the first person that Bart saw upon his healing? Most likely it was Jesus! Then Bart becomes Jesus’ follower. What about you and me? Once Jesus has healed us of our spiritual blindness, whatever that might be, then like Bart, we should be ready and willing followers of Jesus who is THE WAY, THE TRUTH, AND THE LIFE, AND THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD!
