Bartimaeus

 

The scripture readings for October 25th, 2015, the 30th Sunday in Ordinary Time, can be found at http://usccb.org/bible/readings/102515.cfm

About 25 year ago, the word ableism made its way into the Oxford English Dictionary as a term for discrimination against those with some form of physical impairment (paralysis, deafness, blindness, and so on). This mentality may be conveyed in subtle - even innocent - ways, and those who exemplify it may be blissfully unaware that they are "ableists." This bias may even take the form of "positive stereotypes." An example of this is the wide-spread (though inaccurate) notion that blind people have a more acute sense of hearing than sighted people or that they have a "sixth sense" that in some way compensates for their visual impairment. Neither of these notions is true.

With this concept in mind, we have to say that the culture at the time of Jesus was blatantly, ferociously ableist, going so far as to assume that a physical condition such as blindness was the result of some sinful behavior on the part of the blind person (or perhaps that person's parents). Any physical disability was seen as an abnormal, evil deviation from the way things are supposed to be. But it is precisely this mentality that enables Mark in today's Gospel to set up what might be called a "situational irony" in which the able-bodied disciples of Jesus are contrasted (very unfavorably, as it turns out) with the "disabled" Bartimaeus. 

You may recall from last Sunday's Gospel that Jesus had predicted his own suffering and death, challenging the apostles to accept the same fate as they follow him. Rather than seeing Jesus as the "Suffering Servant" of Isaiah, the disciples (notably James and John) choose to see him as a kingly messiah and responds to his question "What do you want?" by arguing about who will sit closest to the throne. 

In contrast, in today's gospel, when Bartimaeus is asked what he wants Jesus to do for him, he makes a simple request: "I want to see." This request of Bartimaeus is theologically loaded because Mark intends "sight" to mean more than mere physical vision.

It seams clear  that the blind man's faith in Jesus preceded (or even caused) the restoration of his eyesight. We tend to think of the miracles of Jesus as producing a faith response in those that are cured. In other words, they come to believe because of the extraordinary power displayed by Jesus. But in today's Gospel Bartimaeus believed in Jesus before the miraculous cure. His faith was a type of "insight" or "seeing with the eyes of faith" that distinguished this obviously disabled man from the able-bodied disciples. 

Believing leads to seeing. The blind man sees Jesus for who he is. On the other hand, the disciples seem to exemplify the adage, "There is none so blind as he who will not see."

Bartimaeus does not simply accept the gift of sight and go his way. He abruptly abandons his former life ("throws aside his cloak") and walks the path of displeship.

Mark uses the blind man's eager, unconditional acceptance of the role of disciple to counter the misguided ambitions of James and John, who seem to have been thinking, "What can we get out of this?"

In being a follower of Jesus, there is in no pecking order, no status involved when it comes to following Him. Because of his disability would have been viewed by many as another unlikely candidate (along with the "morally disabled" tax collectors and prostitutes) for discipleship. To truly to "see" Jesus is to follow Him. 

As Christians we believe that we come to know Jesus in the breaking of the Bread.  May the Eucharist open our eyes to the realty and presence among us of a Messiah who saved humanity through service, suffering and death. This Jesus calls us to throw aside whatever encumbers us and follow that same path of service to others. 

Sacred Heart of Jesus

On the Church calendar for today is the optional memorial of Margaret Mary Alacoque. It was through her that the devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus spread throughout the Church.

Born in 1647 in the diocese of Autun in France, she joined the Sisters of the Visitation at Paray-le-Monial. While in the convent she was able to advance in the life of perfection and was favored with mystical revelations. She died on October 17th, 1690.

In one of her letters, she talks about the "Lord's earnest desire to have his sacred heart honored in a special way..." She reminds us that our Lord wants us to lead lives "according to his divine pleasure." Jesus is calling us to have this relationship with Him and to have Him in the center of all we do and in who we are.

Margaret Mary tells us of the three streams that is flowing from the heart of Jesus. They represent mercy for sinners, charity for all in need, and love and light to "the benefit of his friends who have attained perfection." Jesus wants us to be united to him and to follow his commands. Jesus is calling us to deeper prayer and relationship with Him through the sacraments. If you find yourself "sluggish" in prayer, tell God that you offer it for his fervent love in reparation for your sluggishness. In all circumstances in your life, keep God in the center of your thoughts and heart, and know that he will always help you through your struggles and hardships.

Margaret Mary concludes her letter by encouraging us to "preserve peace of heart." She indicates that to do so, you must renounce your own will and substitute it for the will of the divine heart of Jesus.

Let us pray.
O Lord Jesus Christ, who didst wondrously open the unsearchable riches of Thy Heart to blessed Margaret Mary, the virgin: grant unto us, by her merits and our imitation of her, that we may love Thee in all things and above all things, and may be worthy to have our everlasting dwelling in the same Sacred Heart: who livest and reignest, world without end. Amen.