Thirtieth Sunday in Ordinary Time
Today’s Gospel story about the blind Bartimaeus can be read and interpreted literally. The calling of a blind man by Jesus resonates very well with the reading from Jeremiah, in which the Lord gathers the remnant of Israel (including the blind) to Himself. The restoration of sight by Jesus the High Priest also dovetails with the reading from Hebrews. The love and concern God has for such persons is easily seen.
However, it surprised me that when Jesus called him, Bartimaeus “threw aside his cloak, sprang up, and came to Jesus.” Can a blind person do such a thing?
Maybe Bartimaeus was blind in ways other than his sight. Maybe he was stuck at the threshold of a relationship, was nervous about changing jobs, or was dealing with significant health issues. Whatever his situation, he did not make any progress until he asked Jesus for help.
It would not be the first time that faith in God caused walls to come tumbling down.
Reflection by Br. Jacob Kubajak, OSB
Posted in Articles for Ordinary Time, Daily Reflections