October 29, 2006 :Thirtieth Sunday in Ordinary Time

Thirtieth Sunday in Ordinary Time B
October 29, 2006

Reading I: Jeremiah 31:7-9
Responsorial Psalm: 126:1-2, 2-3, 4-5, 6
Reading II: Hebrews 5:1-6
Gospel: Mark 10:46-52

Key words and phrases from the Gospel: Jesus; Jesus, Son of David; have pity on me; I want to see; followed him on the way

To the point: The encounter between Jesus and Bartimaeus dramatizes the elements of true discipleship:
• recognize Jesus ("Jesus, Son of David");
• acknowledge the need for Jesus ("have pity on me"; "I want to see");
• respond to Jesus' call ("He . . . came to Jesus");
• become Jesus' disciple ("followed him on the way").

Although Bartimaeus models discipleship, he is not the center of the story because discipleship is never about us. The center of the story and the heart of discipleship is always Jesus.

Connecting the Gospel to the first reading: While the gospel highlights the work of Bartimaeus in responding to Jesus' call, the first reading directs our attention to God's actions: "delivered his people . . . bring them back . . . gather them . . . console them guide them . . . lead them."
Connecting the Gospel to religious experience: Almost instinctively we, like Bartimaeus, turn to God when we experience need or crisis. Although unwelcome, such an experience creates space within us to encounter our saving God.

Understanding Scripture:
Seeing and following Jesus: The section of Mark's gospel that deals with discipleship (8:22-10:52) began with the healing of a blind man (8:22-26; omitted from the Sunday Lectionary) and concludes with this Sunday's story of blind Bartimaeus.

In between these two stories of the blind coming to sight are three episodes in which the disciples are blind to the meaning of Jesus' mission and of their own discipleship. Their spiritual "blindness" is evident in their persistent misunderstanding (see Sundays 24, 25, 29).

The gradual coming to sight of the first blind man (8:22-26) culminates in this story in which Bartimaeus both regains his vision and becomes a follower of Jesus.

The disciples, too, must come to "see" Jesus if they are to follow him faithfully.

The focus of this story on the call to discipleship is clear both in 10:49 where the "call" Jesus issues to Bartimaeus is mentioned three times and in 10:52 which reports that Bartimaeus "followed [Jesus] on the way."

The way on which Jesus is walking leads to Jerusalem, a fact already hinted at in Bartimaeus' address to Jesus as "Son of David." In Jerusalem, the City of David, the crowd will see in Jesus one who brings the "kingdom of our father David" (11:10).

Jerusalem is the city in which Jesus will undergo his life-giving death and glorious resurrection.

The story of Bartimaeus comments obliquely on the gospels of the two previous Sundays. On Sunday 28 the rich man is hesitant to follow Jesus because he cannot give up his many possessions; by contrast, as soon as Jesus calls Bartimaeus, "he threw aside his cloak" (10:50), the one thing he owned.

In last Sunday's gospel Jesus asked James and John the exact same question he asks of Bartimaeus, "What do you want me to do for you?" (10:36, 50). The two disciples, who are following Jesus without understanding, ask for seats of glory in the kingdom; by contrast, blind Bartimaeus asks "to see," with the result that he "immediately" follows Jesus, the "Son of David."

This blind beggar has clearer vision than the disciples!

Opening: Alleluia! Sing To Jesus (CC-312)
CCM Opening: Trading My Sorrows(ss2-357)
Psalm: CS2: God has done great things for us
Offertory: Open My Eyes, Lord
Com 1: We Remember
Com 2: Give Me Jesus(CC-349)
Closing: Your Grace Is Enough(SS2-403)