He admired the color of the sky at dawn and dusk, the twinkling of the moon and stars at night, the color of the eyes of loved ones. He could look at the ground he walked on and measured the objects he worked with his hands. Then, progressive eye disease robbed Bartimaeus of colors, perspective, beauty of creatures. No longer able to earn his bread, he was forced to beg.
All day long sitting by the side of that road from Jericho to Jerusalem. Listening to the news that came along the road. He heard about Jesus the Nazarene restoring sight to the blind, as the prophecies about the Messiah said. His father Timaeus encouraged him: "He will pass this way to go to Jerusalem. You will see: he often quotes Jericho in his parables. You will ask him to heal you. He is the Son of David, the Messiah. Many will want to see and hear him. Do not let him escape you.
He had developed very fine ears. He immediately noticed the crowd shouting, and his heart leapt: who is coming, who is it? It is Jesus of Nazareth! Bartimaeus began to cry out with all the strength of those years of darkness. He cries out his need, his poverty united to his faith in Jesus. During the months of waiting, he prayed: "Lord of heaven and earth, you have given me my sight and taken it from me, if it is so that we may know that your Messiah has come, I promise you that, if he heals me, I will follow him to the end of the world". This desire gives an uncontainable force to his voice.
Those who surround Jesus and are in charge of the Master's security give orders to those who crowd around him. In an attempt to stop the noise he makes, they scold him: you are blind and there will be a reason, stay down begging! They do not remember that Jesus came for sinners and restored sight to many blind people.
They are the first blind men whom Jesus heals, saying to them, "Call him. At these words they change the way they look at him and try to imitate the Master: "Cheer up!". They say to him: "Get up, he's calling you!". That call and the opportunity to speak with Jesus sends Bartimaeus leaping to his feet. It doesn't matter if he flings off his cloak. He runs to Jesus in the night of his eyes. And the Master anticipates him: what do you want me to do to you? For Jesus, the desire and the prayer of Bartimaeus is important. The many who told the blind man to be quiet are silent. Bartimaeus answers: My Master, may he see again! Jesus sees the light of faith in his heart and rewards him: Go, your faith has saved you! The Master's eyes and his smile are the first things his new eyes see. The colors shine again. Jesus did not invite him to follow him, he told him: go, you are free to go back to living your old life. But Bartimaeus, faithful to his promise, follows him down the street full of joy.
The homily on the readings of Sunday XXX
The priest Luis Herrera Campo offers its nanomiliaa small one-minute reflection for these readings.
