Call to worship
We seek your presence, O God, not because we have managed to see clearly or been true in all things. Not because we have succeeded in loving or reverencing those around us.
But because we want to see with clarity,
Because we long to be true
And desire to love as we have been loved.
O God, renew our inner sight, make fresh our longings to be true and grant us the grace of loving this day,
That we may enter into the day as we hope to live all our days.
That we may enter into this day restored to our deepest longing.
That we may enter into this day as we intend to live all of our tomorrows.
Candle Lighting
The people who once walked in darkness have been given a great light!
May we recognise the light of Christ in one another.
The candle is lit
Today, in this place, the Light of God’s Love is given to us.
Let the light of Hope and Peace shine in us and through our lives.
Amen.
Connecting
Scripture Reading
Mark 10:46-52
They came to Jericho. As he and his disciples and a large crowd were leaving Jericho, Bartimaeus son of Timaeus, a blind beggar, was sitting by the roadside.
When he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to shout out and say, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” Many sternly ordered him to be quiet, but he cried out even more loudly, “Son of David, have mercy on me!”
Jesus stood still and said, “Call him here.” And they called the blind man, saying to him, “Take heart; get up, he is calling you.”
So throwing off his cloak, he sprang up and came to Jesus. Then Jesus said to him, “What do you want me to do for you?” The blind man said to him, “My teacher, let me see again.” Jesus said to him, “Go; your faith has made you well.”
Immediately he regained his sight and followed him on the way.
Reflection threads
Let’s unpack this story of Bartimaeus a bit more. I mentioned in the Monday post that it seems to be offering us an example of the model disciple. So, prior to this stop in Jericho, Jesus has begun his slightly roundabout way to Jerusalem, and on the way, on three separate occasions, he states plainly to the twelve that he is the Messiah and that he will be handed over to be killed, but he will be raised on the third day.
His attempts to prepare the disciples fall on deaf ears. They hear “Messiah” and they see glorious victory for Israel and defeat of the Roman oppressors.
Also along the way, Jesus was stopped by a rich man who wanted to know how to inherit eternal life, but who was deeply attached to his privilege and the status quo of his comfortable life. The rich man went away sad and we don’t know the rest of that story.
But last week we heard the story of how James and John came to Jesus requesting he do for them whatever they asked. And then they asked for the chance to bask in a share of the Messiah’s glory and honour. Oh dear.
And then, at the end of all that un-hearing, un-seeing, unwillingness we have this story of courage, compassion and commitment.
Bartimaeus is already on the way when Jesus passes by, and he calls out with courage and commitment in the face of censure by the crowd. I imagine that being ‘sternly ordered’ to be quiet probably involved some insults, derision, mocking and dismissal. I am guessing that most of us would feel pretty intimidated by that kind of experience. But Bartimaeus kept at it. His courage didn’t falter and he called out for mercy. Jesus, however, offers him compassion.
This is a significant shift in the dynamic between them, because mercy is connected with pity, and pity is tied to power and status because pity involves judgement. The one who pities is superior – they stand over and above the one who is pitied. The pitied are less – usually help-less but often also worth-less. If one is in a position of power over another, there is the call for mercy. This is fair enough for Bartimaeus to assume he needs to ask for mercy. He has called out to Jesus using a Messianic title – son of David. He is recognising Jesus has power and the annointing of God’s favour. He is also, perhaps, acknowledging the likelihood that his blindness is a punishment for sin and a sign that God stands over him in judgement.
When there is this kind of inequality, though, the one in power generally assumes that they know and can supply what the other needs. Jesus does not make this assumption. Instead he restores equity in the relationship by his question: “what do you want me to do for you?” It’s the very same question he posed to James and John, but this time the answer is quite different.
“My teacher”, says Bartimaeus – not ‘good teacher’ like the rich man – he is not trying to flatter Jesus. My teacher. It’s intimate, tender, trusting. My teacher, let me see again. You could almost argue that Bartimaeus sees very well already. He called out courageously, he did not hesitate to throw off his cloak when Jesus stopped and summoned him. He sprang up eagerly – nothing is going to hold him back. And he asks simply to be restored to light.
In response, Jesus says, ‘Your faith has made you well’. These same words were given to the woman who hid in the crowd and touched Jesus’ cloak. Faith wrapped in hope and love restores them to light and life, and Jesus tells Bartimaeus, ‘Go’. But Bartimaeus follows him on the way. On the way to Jerusalem. I doubt he gave Jericho a backward glance.
These are some of the things that struck me from the reading for today.
- What stands out for you in that story, or what parts of this story resonate with your own journey of faith and discipleship?
- Whose are the discouraging voices in your journey? (they may even be your own, inner voice).
- The disciples had a fixed idea of what the Messiah would do and be. What kind of Christ do you most often look for – the triumphant, victorious conqueror? The suffering, foot-washing servant? Does that shape the kinds of requests you most often bring to this Christ?
- And what treasures you might need to throw off in order to follow or to receive healing restoration?
Prayers of the people
Blessing
As we go forth into the sacred mystery of everyday life,
may we move with the flow of grace
and be carried along Christ’s way
by the energy of mercy and compassion.
May we recognise,
hidden in our routines and our relationships,
Spirit’s many invitations to follow Christ on the way,
and to learn from him how to walk this pilgrim’s path.
May we daily glimpse
the underlying reality
of Love that is stronger than death
and live in the way, the truth and the light of this hope.
Amen
