Reflections from October 25 Gospel
Mark 10:46-52
The blind Bartimaeus was a courageous fellow. Not only was he bold enough to call out to Jesus who was passing by, but he also had the guts to keep on calling, even when people were telling him to be quiet. Clearly, this man knew that he needed Jesus—and he wasn’t about to let popular opinion convince him otherwise. And the reward for his steadfastness was priceless: “Immediately he received his sight.”
Immediately, that is, after he encountered Christ. But let’s not forget that he had to invest all that time and energy earlier in order to arrive at that precious encounter. And we may have to do the same. Our persistence in prayer is often a necessary first step to the gift of God’s intervention in our lives. We, like Bartimaeus, may have to call out time and time again, making our requests known to Jesus even when it may seem he isn’t looking our way. We too may need to be faithful in the face of doubters and detractors who tell us that our prayers are pointless. Let us seek to be like this man who heard Jesus say, “Your faith has saved you.”
Questions of the Week
Mark 10:46-52:
Why do you think the crowds were
rebuking Bartimaeus to silence?
Jeremiah 31:7-9:
What does the image of “the remnant of Israel” mean to you?
Hebrews 5:1-6:
What is the author of Hebrews saying here about Jesus?