Jijo Kandamkulathy, CMF
Claretian Publications, Macau
30th Sunday in Ordinary Time – Year B
Gospel Reflection – Mk 10:46-52
Today’s Gospel pictures Jesus in Jericho before the ascent to Jerusalem. He makes a last sign there: healing a blind man.
It was on the Passover festival where many people gathered and beggars sat at the exit of the city of Jericho, where the road begins to climb toward Jerusalem, waiting for help from the well-disposed pilgrims. Among them was a blind man, Bartimaeus. Bartimaeus is the image of the disciple who finally opens his eyes to the light of the Master and decides to follow him along the way.
The first step he takes to recovery is the awareness of his situation. Only those who realize that they are leading a meaningless unacceptable life decide to look for a way out. It begins with a deep inner turmoil, the denial of a life devoid of values and ideals, intimate dissatisfaction that stimulates to seek alternative proposals, being mindful of the new discourses, patterns of life different from those that the society and the current morality offer.
There are also some people who adapt to their condition, who take a liking to the disease that allows them to live lazily on alms. Bartimaeus, however, is not resigned to the darkness in which he is immersed. He gathers his wits to scream, asking for help from Jesus; he no longer wants to stay in his state of life.
The meeting with those who follow the Master is the next step towards the light. Before reaching Christ, one runs into the disciples and there are difficulties to overcome. Even those who accompany Jesus can be impediments to those who try to approach the light of the gospel. It seems impossible that those who followed the Master from Galilee, heard his word and belonged to the group of disciples could still be spiritually blind and be a hindrance to those who wanted to meet Christ. Even at Jericho, many rebuked Bartimaeus to “keep quiet,” and this continues to happen today.
To test if someone is really enlightened by Christ, or if one follows him just physically is quite simple. Look at the feeling a person has with the cry of the poor. Whoever feels bothered, pretends to ignore the cries of the poor or tries to silence them, whoever is engaged in higher projects, or is more devoted, more sublime and has no time to take care of those who are in darkness, whoever believes that there is something more important than to stop and listen, and also performs flawlessly all the religious practices is still blind.
“Jesus hears the cry of Bartimaeus,” and demands that he be brought before him. His call does not directly reach the blind; there is someone responsible for passing it on. These mediators represent the true followers of Christ, sensitive to the cry of those who seek the light. They are those who spend much of their time listening to the problems of the brothers and sisters in trouble; they always have words of encouragement, leading the blind to the path that leads to the Master, encouraging, “Take heart! Get up, he is calling you.”
And so, we come to the last stage. The blind man “jumps up, throws off his mantle and runs” to the one who can give him sight. The actions of the blind man have a symbolic value and a theological message to communicate. The “mantle” is all the covering a poor person has for his body. Like any beggar, Bartimaeus puts himself on his knees and uses them to gather alms. The act of abandoning it, along with a few coins that passersby kindly placed there, indicates the complete detachment from the state in which he lived. He is no longer interested in the life he led up to that moment.
Everyone who seeks the light should make one’s profession of faith to believe in the one who can open his eyes. Whoever wants to be enlightened by Christ must choose between the old mantle of bondage and the freedom of the light.
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