Mark 10:46-52

Jeremiah 31:7-9

Psalm 126:1-2, 2-3, 4-5, 6

Hebrews 5:1-6

Mark 10:46-52

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.”

Jesus stopped and said, “Call him.”

So they called the blind man, saying to him,

“Take courage; get up, Jesus is calling you.”

He threw aside his cloak, sprang up, and came to Jesus. 

Jesus said to him in reply, “What do you want me to do for you?”

The blind man replied to him, “Master, I want to see.”

Jesus told him, “Go your way; your faith has saved you.”

Immediately he received his sight

and followed him on the way.

Opening Prayer: Lord God, I was blind, but now I see. You have washed away my blindness in the Sacrament of Baptism. I have been enlightened by the light of your grace. I see with eyes of faith. May I never lose this spiritual vision!

Encountering the Word of God

1. I Want to See: Mark records two healings of the blind that act like bookends to an important section in his Gospel (Mark 8:22-10:52). The first healing (Mark 8:22-26) took place in Bethsaida of Galilee, at the beginning of Jesus’ final journey to Jerusalem, and was gradual; the second healing happened in Jericho, at the end of his journey, and was instantaneous. This is symbolic of the journey of Jesus’ disciples and their gradual healing from spiritual blindness. “Although Jesus has been teaching them all along ‘the way,’ at this point their vision is still only partial; they do not yet grasp who Jesus is and what it means to follow him. Only after the resurrection will their eyes be fully open” (Healy, The Gospel of Mark, 216). Our faith in Jesus needs to grow throughout our lives and deepen as we walk with Jesus. In heaven, our faith in God will give way to the vision of God.

2. I Will Gather Them with the Blind from the Nations: In the First Reading, Jeremiah prophesies the restoration of Israel. Here, Israel refers to the ten northern tribes who were destroyed and exiled by the Assyrians in 722 B.C. Israel is also called “Ephraim,” which was the leading tribe of Israel and held the capital city of Israel. A century or so after Israel’s destruction, Jeremiah proclaims that God has not forgotten Israel and that the Lord will gather them from the ends of the world. This ingathering of Israel from exile includes the blind and the lame. And so, when Jesus cures a blind man at the beginning and end of his journey to Jerusalem, he is fulfilling the prophecy of Jeremiah. Israel is the first nation among the family of nations to enter into a covenant of kinship with the Lord. Therefore, they are the “first-born” (Jeremiah 31:9). Jesus, however, will send his apostles out to all the nations to gather them into God’s family. In a way, the first gradual healing of blindness in Israel symbolizes Jesus’ mission among his people, while the second instantaneous healing of Bartimaeus in Jericho symbolizes the ingathering of Israel from among the nations accomplished by Jesus’ apostles. “Bartimaeus” means “son of Timaeus,” and “Timaeus” was a Greek name. “The very form of the name is testimony to the exile of Israel among the nations, where they took on foreign names from the cultures among which they were scattered” (Bergsma, The Word of the Lord: Year B, 453).

3. The High Priesthood of Jesus: Faith enables us to see Jesus as our Great High Priest. The high priesthood of Jesus far surpasses the high priesthood of the sons of Aaron. There are many parallels between the two high priesthoods. The Aaronic high priest acted as a mediator between God and humanity and offered sacrifices. Just as the Aaronic high priest was taken from among men and appointed a high priest by God, Jesus assumed our human nature and dwelled among us and was appointed as our high priest by God (Hebrews 5:6). Jesus wasn’t a descendant of Aaron, but was the Son of God and the Son of David. The Aaronic high priest represented the people before God and offered animal sacrifices on their behalf. Jesus was made perfect by offering himself as a sacrifice and, as our savior, was proclaimed high priest by God (Hebrews 5:9-10). The Aaronic high priest was able to be patient with the ignorant and erring because he was beset by weakness. Jesus, the Melchizedekian high priest, is patient with us because he lived among us and learned obedience from his sufferings (Hebrews 5:7-8). While the Aaronic high priest had to offer animals as sin offerings for himself, Jesus, the innocent Lamb and Son of God, did not have to offer up something for his own sins and failings. 

Conversing with Christ: Lord Jesus, faithful and merciful high priest, intercede for me before the Father. Request what I most need and strengthen me for the journey ahead. Guide my actions with your wisdom and move me to do what is right and just through the gift of your Spirit.

Living the Word of God: Do I know where I am blind? Am I blind to my own faults and sins? Am I blind to the deepest needs of my family or coworkers? Am I blind to the gifts God has given to me? Am I blind to God’s will? Can I spend time in prayer discerning with God’s help where I need to overcome spiritual blindness?