Speak Lord: Guide to the Way

As Jesus left Jericho with his disciples and a large crowd, Bartimaeus (that is, the son of Timaeus), a blind beggar, was sitting at the side of the road. When he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to shout and to say, ‘Son of David, Jesus, have pity on me.’ And many of them scolded him and told him to keep quiet, but he only shouted all the louder, ‘Son of David, have pity on me.’

Jesus stopped and said, ‘Call him here.’ So they called the blind man. ‘Courage,’ they said ‘get up; he is calling you.’ So throwing off his cloak, he jumped up and went to Jesus. Then Jesus spoke, ‘What do you want me to do for you?’ ‘Rabbuni,’ the blind man said to him ‘Master, let me see again.’ Jesus said to him, ‘Go; your faith has saved you.’ And immediately his sight returned and he followed him along the road.

Gospel for the 30^th Sunday in Ordinary Time
Mark 10:46-52

‘…he followed him along the road.’, so says the Jerusalem Bible translation. The word it translates ‘road’ might be better translated ‘way’ – Bartimaeus did not just follow Jesus down the road, but on the way. Christians were first known as the people of ‘The Way’ and Mark sets Bartimaeus before us as a model to follow as we, now, seek to be of ‘The Way’.

Like Bartimaeus we receive fresh sight to see true, not so much by the eyes in our head, but by the eyes of the heart, eyes that see as God sees, and as God loves.

But do we make the most of that gift? How truly do we follow?

• What and how have I seen as events this day?
• Where have I been today, and why?
• How close to Christ have I been in these things?

Glass. Chester Cathedral. (c) 2017, Allen Morris.

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