Can’t You See?

Mark 10:46-52

Rev. Dr. Mary Alice Mulligan

Here’s Jesus interacting with a person who has lost his sight. But Mark uses “blindness” as a metaphor, trying to show us that physical blindness is not the worst kind of impairment. Inability to see spiritually is far worse. The passage describes an impairment we all have: the inability to discern (or see) who Jesus really is and how God wants the world to be. Mark shows us who can really “see.”

When Bartimaeus hears Jesus is passing nearby, he shouts out for help. He calls Jesus “Son of David,” a common first century title for the coming king, Messiah, who will restore Israel. In the whole Gospel of Mark, only Peter, whom we heard confess it several weeks ago, and this blind beggar, Bartimaeus, recognize Jesus is the Messiah. In fact, up to now, Mark has not once indicated Jesus is descended from David. But Bartimaeus sees who Jesus really is. Then unlike all the other people, after he is healed, Bartimaeus follows Jesus. This is the final healing Mark reports. From the 10th chapter of the Gospel of Mark, listen for the Word of God.  

 They came to Jericho. As he and his disciples and a large crowd were leaving Jericho, Bartimaeus son of Timaeus, a blind beggar, was sitting by the roadside. When he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to shout out and say, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” Many sternly ordered him to be quiet, but he cried out even more loudly, “Son of David, have mercy on me!” Jesus stood still and said, “Call him here.” And they called the blind man, saying to him, “Take heart; get up, he is calling you.” So throwing off his cloak, he sprang up and came to Jesus. Then Jesus said to him, “What do you want me to do for you?” The blind man said to him, “My teacher, let me see again.” Jesus said to him, “Go; your faith has made you well.” Immediately he regained his sight and followed him on the way.

Imagine this stretch of road. Jesus and his followers are just leaving Jericho, about 15 miles northeast of Jerusalem. The road is filled with listeners. Jesus seems quite talkative as he leads his followers toward Jerusalem. He has given 3 predictions of his death and resurrection, even though his disciples don’t comprehend. But all along the way Jesus spreads affection on everyone around him. The disciples probably relish these miles with their teacher. Enjoying the pastoral quiet, intimate conversation, and relaxed meals. What the disciples apparently don’t see is 15 miles down the road, where the cross is already being prepared. The disciples instead see the road trip like a late-summer vacation, where they have Jesus all to themselves. So when Jesus stops for a blind beggar of course they are annoyed.

We modern disciples can hinder access to Jesus. Sometimes we are the ones standing in the way when unbelievers are trying to find wholeness in their lives. People can be groping around spiritually, metaphorically blind, calling out, desperate for one kind of healing or another, wondering if there is a God who will help. And it’s us. We get in the way; the followers of Jesus acting as if there isn’t room for anyone new. Our roadblocking can be as obvious as the jostling crowd leaving Jericho, enjoying their time with Jesus, who yell at Bartimaeus to be quiet. Their behavior says, “Our party is just the right size, just the right atmosphere; we don’t need your disabled-self interrupting. Beggars, especially blind ones, are creepy. Put a sock in it.” It’s fairly obvious, those followers were blocking the way.

But we can be self-appointed gatekeepers of a more subtle variety, like when we neglect to share our faith with anyone. We might say to ourselves we don’t know how to talk about Jesus or probably no one wants to hear us talk about God, but what we mean is, “I don’t care if you need God.” Such behavior is like the child who comes in the house with sticky hands and chocolate smears on her t-shirt. When asked what she has been eating, she replies, “Nothing.” Nothing? What she means is, she doesn’t want to share the Dove bars in the freezer, so she sneaks outside to eat one. When we don’t even think of talking to people about the difference Jesus Christ makes in our lives, we are selfishly keeping him to ourself, denying others access. When we assume people are already involved in a church if they want to be, we may be refusing to open our eyes to someone’s need. People come to faith by hearing about Jesus from other people. Once upon a time, someone told us – a grandparent, a neighbor, a pastor, someone. When we don’t tell anyone, we join those who keep Jesus to themselves. Like the early disciples, we hinder people’s access to Jesus.

But people need to see Jesus. They need to see where God’s healing can be for them. Everyone has secret broken pieces in need of mending, but some breaks are more dire than others. All over the world, people cry out for mercy, calling out for release from their afflictions. Most families work to put food on the table, but some are struggling to have enough just to survive another day. According to the BBC, recent United Nations’ reports on the war in Gaza say the “darkest moment” is occurring now, in the north of the territory where the entire population is under siege. They are being bombed and everyone is at risk of starvation. True. The report says “everyone” is at risk of starvation. How are terrified, starving Palestinians going to see Jesus? Actually, our Palestinian siblings more likely want to see Allah, and I’m pretty sure Jesus is okay with that. After all, it’s all God. If we are not spiritually blind, perhaps we should pressure our leaders to demand the release of more aid to Gaza and the cessation of bombing of civilians.

Of course, all over the world, hungry people wonder where God is in their life-crushing situation. One in six people is food insecure in this country. Someone in worship last Sunday offered a prayer of thanksgiving for being able to volunteer at All Faiths Food Bank, which is our November over and above offering. Maybe our Mission Team could set a goal to double what was given last time. Jesus, Son of David, Messiah – have mercy. Hurting people are universal. Most of them are not expecting miraculous interventions from God, spontaneously healing whatever is wrong. But what can they expect? Perhaps through followers of Jesus Christ, they can catch a glimpse of Jesus. When they know something is very wrong, people are desperate for healing. People need to see Jesus.

Because we know, wholeness is possible! In keeping with today’s metaphor, one might say, everyone’s vision is correctable. Those who connect with Jesus Christ begin to see the world as he sees it. St. Paul tells Christians to have the mind of Christ, which is great. But disciples also need to have the eyes of Christ. Even when Bartimaeus was still physically blind, he saw who Jesus was. He leapt to his feet, ready to follow the messiah, all the way to the cross. When Jesus says: “Your faith has healed you,” he uses the Greek word meaning “rescue.” Jesus rescued him, not only from physical blindness but from a life of meaningless isolation. Through the centuries, the more of Jesus’ teachings people learn, the more open they are to the power of the Holy Spirit in their lives. They begin to feel whole, able to see with spiritual eyes. They see themselves and the world as God planned them to be. So, they respond by putting their energy into God’s vision.

Even some of us here are trying to see what God intends for the world, trying to figure out how to live into that vision. We, who used to focus on ourselves, have our eyes opened to what God wants, through the power of the Holy Spirit. Our lives fill up figuring out what we can do to further manifest God’s vision on Earth.

So how can people see the wholeness Jesus brings to the world? We can tell them about our experience with Jesus. We can minister through our congregational offerings. And we can invite them to look at ministries of our denomination. Several years ago, our Global Ministries Office launched a project in Palestine to replace olive trees that had been uprooted by wall construction and settlement building. For some Palestinian families, olive groves provide their only income. If they are destroyed, families have no income. In recent weeks, Global Ministries increased its appeal for donations for olive trees to support Palestinians. They set a goal of 500 trees this month, at $20/tree. I think when a family receives a gift of olive trees to replace what has been destroyed, they see Allah at work among them, spreading the same love Jesus learned from seeing with Allah/God’s eyes. If we are Jesus’ disciples, we will invite others to join God’s reconciling ministry. Then we see: wholeness is possible – in our lives and in the lives of everyone around us.