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As Jesus was leaving Jericho with his disciples and a sizable
crowd, Bartimaeus, a blind man, the son of Timaeus, sat by the
roadside begging. On hearing that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he
began to cry out and say, “Jesus, son of David, have pity on me.”
And many rebuked him, telling him to be silent. But he kept calling
out all the more, “Son of David, have pity on me.” Mark
10:46–48
Though the Torah commanded kindness and justice toward the blind,
they were often treated poorly by the wider community. Unable to
work or provide for themselves, the blind were typically reduced to
begging. They also bore the stigma of being seen as suffering God’s
judgment, whether for their own sins or the sins of their parents.
While today’s story about Bartimaeus vividly illustrates the
pitiful social and economic position of the blind at that time, it
even more powerfully presents him as an ideal model to
imitate.
First, we should humbly see ourselves in Bartimaeus. On a spiritual
level, we are all blind and in need of God’s mercy. Like
Bartimaeus, we must identify as people who are poor, ostracized,
and incapable of seeing all that God wants to reveal to us. Pride
gives us a false sense of who we are and blinds us to the truth of
our spiritual poverty. Humility, on the other hand, opens the eyes
of faith, enabling us to recognize our need for God’s mercy and His
healing grace so that we may see and understand life as He wishes
to reveal it.
Bartimaeus is not only a model of the humility we need; he is also
a model of faith and prayer. In his humility, as soon as he heard
that Jesus of Nazareth was passing by, he cried out in a twofold
way. First, he called Jesus the “Son of David.” This was a
profession of faith in Jesus as the Messiah. “Son of David” was a
messianic title rooted in Nathan’s prophecy, in which God promised
King David that his descendant would establish an everlasting
kingdom (cf. 2 Samuel 7:12–16). By calling Jesus the “Son of
David,” Bartimaeus professed his belief that Jesus was the
fulfillment of that prophecy.
With his profession of faith, Bartimaeus also prayed the ideal
prayer: “Have pity on me.” The word “pity” is a translation of the
Greek eleison, which is also rendered as “have mercy.” For
example, at Mass, we pray in Greek, “Kyrie eleison,” or
“Lord, have mercy.” This prayer is ideal because every gift from
God is an act of mercy. We do not earn or deserve His grace; it is
a freely bestowed gift, and our prayer should reflect this profound
truth.
As Bartimaeus prayed, many people told him to be silent. Despite
their rebukes, Bartimaeus intensified his prayer, “calling out all
the more.” This persistence serves as another model for the ideals
of prayer. The “many” who rebuked him and tried to silence him
symbolize the numerous obstacles we face in our pursuit of God’s
mercy.
Though the greatest obstacles we face are our own sins, which
discourage us from approaching God in prayer, we also encounter
challenges in the form of temptations. These temptations, like the
“many” who sought to silence Bartimaeus, try to lead us away from
prayer. They urge us to give up, doubt God’s care for us, or remain
complacent in our spiritual lives. Bartimaeus’ response—to pray
even louder and more fervently—teaches us the importance of
perseverance in prayer, even in the face of discouragement or
opposition.
Reflect today on this poor blind man, Bartimaeus, sitting on the
roadside. With him, profess your faith in Jesus as the Messiah and
cry out for mercy. When sin hinders you, have the courage to admit
it, confess it, and plead for forgiveness. When temptations try to
silence you, resist them and cry out all the louder. In the end,
Jesus called Bartimaeus to Himself and healed him. Jesus desires to
do the same for us. He will, if we humbly identify with Bartimaeus,
see ourselves in his condition, and imitate his unwavering faith
and persistent prayer.
Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me! With Bartimaeus, I
profess my belief in You as the Messiah, the Savior of the world.
With him, I also plead for Your mercy in my life and in the world
around me. You alone are the source of all grace and mercy, and
though I am unworthy, You freely bestow it upon the humble. Lord, I
want to see. Open the eyes of my heart and grant me the reward of
Your mercy. Jesus, I trust in You.
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