Homily for the Thursday of the Eighth Week in Ordinary Time (Year B - 5/30/2024)

Good morning. The story of Bartimaeus reminds me of this beautiful verse from The Song of Songs:: “Let me see you, let me hear your voice. . .” (2:14). As a child, we crave the attention of our parents, enthusiastically saying: “Mommy, look what I can do!” or “Daddy, can we go outside and play catch together?” As an adult, no matter our successes or failures, our limitations (be they physical, emotional, or mental), or our status or stature in life, we have the same basic yearning, which is to be seen, to have our voices heard, and to be loved, especially by those we care about, look up to, and even love.

Bartimaeus, who was blind, wanted to be seen and heard; instead, he was rebuked and silenced by the crowd. Like Bartimaeus, we sometimes find ourselves lost in a “sizable crowd,” which in our modern society does not necessarily mean a physically large number of people. We can feel lost and alone in the “sizable crowd” of worldly distractions, such as social media, mobile and other handheld electronic devices, and various other sources of entertainment that inundate us regularly. However, although we may feel lost to the world and others might even try to rebuke and silence us, Jesus sees us in the crowd and, like a shepherd who hears the cry of his sheep and goes to rescue it, Christ hears our cry and never ceases to call us to himself.

Saint Peter, in today’s first reading, reminds us that we are “God’s people,” saying: “You are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people of his own. . .” In the Holy Eucharist, our Lord Jesus Christ gives of himself to us - body, blood, soul, and divinity - so that we can be one in him and him in us for we “have tasted that the Lord is good. . . [and] received mercy.” As with Bartimaeus, our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ hears our cry, “Jesus, have pity on me,” and calls out to us and asks, “What do you want me to do for you?” With this question, our Lord gives us a spiritual exercise to ponder and reflect on; therefore, ask yourself this question throughout the day and during your time in prayer: “What do I want Jesus to do for me?”

Bartimaeus, who was a blind man, knew exactly what he wanted Jesus to do for him, saying: ”Master, I want to see.” However, we know that Bartimaeus received more than physical healing of his blindness from Jesus; he received the spiritual gift of faith. When Christ spoke to him and opened his eyes, Bartimaeus was able to hear Jesus with the ears of his heart and see Jesus with the eyes of his heart, whereas before he was only able to hear about Jesus. Our Lord then affirmed Bartimeus in his faith, saying: “Go your way; your faith has saved you.” And what did Bartimaeus do upon receiving his sight from Jesus, he followed him on the way. Bartimaeus’ encounter with Christ changed the trajectory of his life and, in gratitude to Jesus for healing him and with faith, he devoted his life to following Christ.

We can look to Bartimaeus to help us discern how we ought to reply to Jesus when he asks us, “What do you want me to do for you?” Want a hint? Here it is from Saint Peter: My Lord and my God, I desire that you “[call me] out of darkness into [your] wonderful light. . . [and] keep away from [me] worldly desires that wage war against [my] soul.”

. . .

Gospel

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.