Pent 23, year B, 2024

Bartimaeus, sat on the side of the road. 

We don’t know for how long he sat there…whether it was hours…or years.  However, human nature being what it is…I’m guessing that much like those who sit on the roadside these days, he was mostly ignored.

The Jewish people had a religious imperative to help the widow, the orphan and the stranger, the poor and those in need…as do we, Jesus commands us to help the ‘least of these’.  Yet in our gospel we see that the majority of the people, pretty much all the people, were more interested in Bartimaeus being quiet rather than helping him.

I wonder why the people were so keen on silencing him?  Was he just loud and annoying?  Was he acting contrary to public custom?  Were they concerned that he’d draw attention away from themselves? What we do know is that: “Many sternly ordered him to be quiet, but he cried out even more loudly”.

I also wonder how he was ordered to be quiet, was it just by voice? Or did the occasional kick enter in?  Regardless, Bartimaeus did not stop crying out “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!”

Which brings me to wonder how did Bartimaeus know who it was coming down the road?  Likely the whisper of the crowd, but Blind Bartimaeus…blind…Bartimaeus had never seen Jesus work a miracle…so his calling out…his controversial behaviour was certainly a risk. 

It was a risk to speak out in the crowd.  To bring attention to himself.  Alone and without support, in fact in the face of opposition.  Bartimaeus was taking a big risk.  A blind man crying out for mercy in the midst of a crowd that was actively trying to silence him.  Nevertheless he took a risk and cried out all the more.

Then when the opportunity presented itself we read that Bartimaeus threw off his cloak, abandoning all he had, and sprang up and came to Jesus.  He risked everything he had, perhaps not much in terms of worldly wealth, but everything that he had on this chance.  Not only worldly wealth but a lot more. 

We don’t know how long he was there sitting on the roadside, but that was his life, his daily work, his identity…again it may not seem like much to us but it was his. 

It was his normal, his comfort zone, his life. 

He would know the voice and steps of those who passed daily, he would recognize the approach of those who were kind and those who were cruel.  Sitting on the road from Jericho, Bartimaeus was on a major route, a prime spot with lots of traffic and lots of news.  

Chances are Bartimaeus heard a lot and from everything he had heard, this Rabbi who was said to be approaching was more than simply a teacher.  From all that Bartimaeus had heard, this Jesus was more than he seemed.

For the first time in Mark’s gospel Jesus was referred to the “Son of David”, the Messiah. 

While the disciples who saw Jesus everyday bickered about who would have places of honour at Jesus’ side, a blind man saw what they couldn’t, what so far…no one had.  “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” 

Bartimaeus saw more, and Bartimaeus saw a chance, an opportunity.

Now, most of those who beg, beg for coin or food.  Their eyes on the needs of the present, but when Jesus asked Bartimaeus what he wanted from him…he didn’t ask for coin, or bread or for position…he asked for his sight. He asked for a miracle, for the impossible.  For everything.

Sight would allow Bartimaeus to rejoin society, he could renew his vocation, rejoin his family, he could worship in the temple proper once more.  He could be one of those steps he heard walking purposefully and productively past him each day.  Bartimaeus asked Jesus for a miracle that would change his not only his life, but his purpose in life, his very identity.

Bartimaeus means son of Timaeus, but Timaeus could also mean Impure or unclean, someone unwanted and unworthy.  So, this may have been a true name, or a slur cast upon someone who society saw as cursed.  This Son of Timaeus, this Unworthy Son had heard of Jesus and believed Jesus could change who he was, change his future and his worth.  It was a day I’m sure he often dreamt of, sitting on that road side day by day.   Imagining all the miraculous possibilities that could maybe, just maybe come his way.  Dreaming of possibilities that would change everything…those lovely ‘what if’s.

Today, was Loto day, rumour had spread that Jesus had cured the blind before…this could be his chance,but only if he took a risk.

He did and we read that immediately, Bar-Timaeus regained his sight “Go; says Jesus, your faith has made you well.” 

But Bartimaeus did not go.  He stayed! He stayed and followed Jesus on the way, and for Jesus the Way was headed straight for Jerusalem.

This is likely, not what Bartimaeus had planned for that day.  Chances are that whatever Bartimaeus dreamt of on the roadside, those beautiful and ephemeral ‘what if’ dreams we all have, following Christ to crucifixion had probably not entered into it.

Yet, his dreams did come true…the ‘what if’ miracle did happen and Bartimaeus the blind beggar on the road out of Jericho was made a new man, with a new life, following Christ to an unknown future.  All because he dared to hope in faith and then act on it, throwing away much but gaining more.

Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me! 

This is one of the oldest Christian prayers.  One that is present in many liturgies in cluding our own.  Lord, have mercy, Christ have mercy, Lord, have mercy. 

What mercy are we begging for each Sunday? What miracle do we dream of as we sit in our accustomed places and listen to Portage ave rush by?  Do we wish to see again what once was? Do we dare throw away our cloaks and spring up when we are called? 

Let’s be honest. When you say Lord, have mercy… What do you expect to happen? Who do you expect to hear?  What mercy are you pleading for?

Because the rumours along Portage say the church is irrelevant, out of touch and hypocritical.  That the institution and trappings mean more to us then the faith we profess or the Messiah that we follow.  That our words are hollow and that Christ would not recognize the church as the body of Christ.  Because people know that Christians are supposed to be Christ like and I’ve heard very few people object to Christ, it is the church that people object to.

So, as we sit here and dream of what could be…what is it that we dream of? The needs of the day?  Of coin or bread? Of regaining the position we once held?  Be careful what we wish for; after all James and John we recall eagerly said they’d drink from the cup Christ was to drink from… hoping for glory and agreeing to crucifixion.

What would we do, as a church, if Christ said ‘go; your faith has made you well.’  Would we give thanks and repair the parking lot?  Would we return to our cloak and ensure no one took our prime location on the great road?  Would we follow where Jesus is going not knowing where it leads?  Would we risk it all?

It feels like the church is at a cross road.  There are rumours on the road and the footsteps we hear are passing us by.  We know something is happening, but we are blind and cannot see what the future holds. 

We are blind and so we have to hone our other senses because we cannot see ahead… we need to fling aside the trappings that blinds us look with the eyes of faith. 

We need cry out Lord, have mercy on us…with faith and intention. 

We have to cry out for mercy because we are in need; and when it seems like we are defeated, silenced and stepping out of line… we need to cry out for Mercy all the louder. 

Jesus does hear! Jesus does call us!   But it means taking one heck of a risk when we hear that call…throwing off our cloaks, our identity as beggars and risk loosing everything that we know in order to gain ….not perhaps, everything we’ve dreamed of…but more than we could ask or imagine.

The history of the institution of the church is all over the place…it is one big mess.   The history of the body of Christ has always been miraculous and eternal. 

There are days when I feel like people tell me the churches job is to beg, plead and cajole people, especially young people into the church.   A full church? That is good, but that is a side effect of a being a faithful people not the goal.  We are so often blinded by our fears, and I fear that a full church means to many a financially, viable and sustainable church.  That a full church means ‘we will survive’.   Rather than the spiritual growth of a community.

We are blind, and Jesus calls us to see.  Not as the disciples see, but as Blind Bartimaeus sees.  To see with the eyes of faith.  So that when we hear Jesus calling, we see not only someone who can heal our church…but we can see and proclaim a Messiah who can change and restore all the body to righteousness.  To save us …sometimes even from our selves!

            We are a church that needs to see as blind Bartimaeus does and stand up for the opportunity to be someone, something that we have never been before.

Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me. 

Help me to see with your eyes. 

Help me to throw off what needs to be left behind and run to you. 

Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on your church, your body. 

That we may in all things see with your eyes and follow where your feet lead.