Word to the Wise
Monday, November 14, 2022 - Monday in the 33th Week in Ordinary Time
[Rev 1:1-4; 2:1-5 and Luke 18:35-43]As Jesus approached Jericho a blind man was sitting by the roadside begging, and hearing a crowd going by, he inquired what was happening. They told him, "Jesus of Nazareth is passing by." He shouted, "Jesus, Son of David, have pity on me!" The people walking in front rebuked him, telling him to be silent, but he kept calling out all the more, "Son of David, have pity 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." He immediately received his sight and followed him, giving glory to God. When they saw this, all the people gave praise to God. [Luke]
MONDAY, NOVEMBER 14, 2022 MONDAY IN THE 33RD WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME
[Revelation 1:1-4; 2:1-5 and Luke 18:35-43]
As Jesus approached Jericho a blind man was sitting by the roadside begging, and hearing a crowd going by, he inquired what was happening. They told him, "Jesus of Nazareth is passing by." He shouted, "Jesus, Son of David, have pity on me!" The people walking in front rebuked him, telling him to be silent, but he kept calling out all the more, "Son of David, have pity 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." He immediately received his sight and followed him, giving glory to God. When they saw this, all the people gave praise to God. [Luke]
The story of "Blind Bartimaeus" appears in all three of the "synoptic gospels" (Mark, Matthew, Luke). I have quoted the entire story today because there are two "miracles" and not just one! Certainly, Bartimaeus gets first attention. His blindness is probably not his fault, He may be like the "man born blind" in the Gospel According to John 9:1-41. His sense of curiosity along with a "spark" of faith leads him to cry out with a title of faith: "Jesus, Son of David!" This is the point at which a different process of faith occurs. The people surrounding Jesus try to silence Bartimaeus. Jesus' response to Bartimaeus results not only in Bartimaeus receiving his sight and following Jesus, but the crowd also "sees" what has happened and joins Bartimaeus in giving glory to God.
Time and again in my years of campus ministry, I have witnessed a student coming to faith because he or she witnessed the faith of a committed student peer. A casual invitation to attend Sunday Mass, along with the traditional dorm room conversation about the experience, would lead to further inquiry. The wise Catholic roommate occasionally would speak to me about how to encourage this "spark of faith," and find themselves invited to be sponsor for their friend at Easter!!!
Those of us who claim to follow Jesus can be blind to those who might want to follow Jesus. The journey of faith can begin from simple curiosity about what "makes a Catholic tick?" The desire to "see" as a committed friend "sees" can lead to the miracle of faith. The simple ministry from our Catholic student center here at Texas Tech - ASK A CATHOLIC - outside the student center on campus is an appeal to the possible blind beggar (although this may be the reverse in that the disciples are sitting by the roadside with the beggars passing by).
As always, the encounter with Jesus can depend on our own willingness to see the spark of faith in others. We can only hope that Jesus' own voice is occasionally louder than ours! AMEN
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