Twenty-first Sunday after Pentecost October 25, 2009
Scripture	Mark 10:46-52 46 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. 47 When he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth , he began to shout out and say, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” 48 Many sternly ordered him to be quiet, but he cried out even more loudly, “Son of David, have mercy on me!” 49 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.” 50 So throwing off his cloak, he sprang up and came to Jesus. 51 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.” 52 Jesus said to him, “Go; your faith has made you well.” Immediately he regained his sight and followed him on the way.
Devotional	Some interpreters think that Mark has placed the healing of a blind man as the final event in Jesus’ ministry outside Jerusalem to show that the disciples would eventually be healed of their spiritual blindness. However, the actual details of the miracle play a minor role in the episode. Bartimaeus exhibits the type of faith that forms the basis for healing. He also cries out the truth that Jesus is the merciful Son of David, and the crowd cannot silence him. Such faith points to the success of Jesus’ ministry, despite the voices of opposition and the misunderstanding of those closest to Jesus. Christians through the centuries have repeated a variant of Bartimaeus cry for mercy. The prayer “Jesus, have mercy” was repeated continuously to remind the faithful that God’s mercy is always present. 1 This story demonstrates the power that Jesus has to awaken the faith in others. Bartimaeus is an example of faith being awakened in another person. This story is an example of a person who makes the proper response to Jesus’ question. “What do you want me to do for you?” James and John response was the request for a seat on the right and left side of Jesus. They chose an inadequate response at least as Jesus heard it. Jesus cannot answer their request because it is all about themselves and the power that goes with it. Bartimaeus’ reply of, ”Teacher, let me see again.” Jesus said to him, ”Go; your faith has made you well.” Bartimaeus makes the correct response. He goes away with his sight, while James and John go away with nothing. The results depend on how the question is answered. “Immediately he regained his sight and followed him on the way.” This was the response Bartimaeus chose to make. Remember the Rich Young Man who would not give away his possessions; he goes away feeling sad. Bartimaeus throws off his cloak and follows Jesus. Jesus tells him to go but he begins to follow. The action of giving sight to the blind is associated with God alone in the Old Testament. Is the author of this story suggesting the Jesus is divine or the messiah? Is this God asking the question? Do we hear God asking, “What would you like for me to do for you?’ “What do you want me to do for you?” How would you answer this question? This story demonstrates the power that Jesus has to awaken faith in others. Does Jesus awaken faith in you? 1 Pheme Perkins, Gospel of Mark, The New Interpreters Bible, vol. VIII, p. 656.