Thirtieth Sunday in Ordinary Time

The story of the Blind Man, Bartimaeus is a commentary on our lives in this Parish of our Lady of Lourdes - as much in any other parish. There are four small points I would like to make:

1.  Those who have eyes are blind, and the blind are the ones who actually see.
We have at the beginning of the story, the Scribes and the Pharisees. These are the wise people in the community, these are the ones who are awaiting the Coming of the Messiah and they have at their finger tips all the signs of the coming of the Messiah: the prophecies of Isaiah: He shall not crush the bruised reed. The lame will walk, and blind will see and the poor will have the good news preached to them. the book of Daniel: Ch 9:24 - spoke of 70 weeks and this was the time for the anointed one to come. Jesus himself gave all the signs.
And yet as Jesus said, having eyes they see not - and having ears they hear not. They do not understand.
And yet it was the Blind Bartimaeus who never went to school, who sat by the road side begging who could not only see through the crowds, but would acknowledge Jesus as the Son of David. ... title reserved for the Messiah.

2. The second is a matter of Blocks. Jesus would say the harvest is great and the labourers are few. People were hungering for the word of God - and continue to hunger today for the Word of God. We have every hall booked in this parish for some religious experience and growth: RCIA, Scripture classes, twilight retreats. And unfortunately there are many of us who continue to block people from coming to Christ. The Scribes and the Pharisees - no let us not be too hard on them. It was the ordinary people who prevented Bartimaeus from coming to Christ. When he called Jesus son of David. They told him to keep quiet.

In the Old Testament: it was a blemish to have any disability. The lamb, the calf, the goat, sheep and bull - had to have no blemish when offered to God. Similarly to have any disability: blindness, deaf and dumb, lameness, skin infection: leprosy - all these were considered as outcasts. They could not be offered to the Lord. They were forbidden to come into the Temple. Most of them sat by the Temple gates.

Strangely enough we have people who have blemishes today in our society: those who have a prison record those infected with any sickness: HIV, Hepatitis, the unmarried mother the one who speaks English without the Canadian Accent.  Someone who eats too much garlic or spicy food --------and we say they should not come close to the Lord. We tell them to keep quiet and do not disturb the Master.

3. The third is a matter of Stamina ! In spite of everyone telling him to keep quiet, Bartimaeus does not. He knows what he wants and he will get what he wants. The more they tell him to keep quiet, the more he shouts out Jesus, son of David. This is the story of many a family in the parish. They are here every day - they come quietly and pray - they do not have to shout out because of the crowds, but they do have to face the hawklike, the curious eyes, the criticizing eyes of people. But they will not give in because they know that we have a God of mercy and compassion, slow to anger and rich in mercy. They will not loose hope regardless of the odds.

A story I have told of an experience I had - and is worth while repeating. While celebrating Mass, I noticed a lady in her late 40s, early 50s praying with intensity. I could not help remembering Hannah the mother of the prophet Samuel praying. I later found out that her husband had a stroke and was paralyzed and she was caring for him at home. Besides that she had a daughter who had Downs Syndrome, a son who was alcoholic. She was the sole provider and there was a possibility that she would loose her job. When I asked her how could she pray and believe in God when everything was against her. She looked at me straight in the eye and said, "But how can I NOT believe in God.

Part of the Stamina was that Bartimaeus had to throw of his own personal block. The only thing he had in life was his Cloak. It was his bed at night, his covering during the day, his Identity - how many of us identify the homeless not by their names but rather by their clothes. Those are the only ones they have.

4. Finally, Jesus asked Bartimaeus what he needed. Come on Jesus, here is a Blind Man. What else could he want? Ah, true - but Jesus wants to know: hence we pray. And sometimes we ask for the wrong thing. Bartimaeus could have very well said, Lord it is hot, I am thirsty - I would be glad to have a Molson Canadian or a Labatt's Blue. And isn't that what many of us do in our every day life.

We keep on asking for what we want and not what we need.

I asked for Strength......... And I received Difficulties to make me  strong.
I asked for Wisdom......... And I was blessed with Problems to solve.
I asked for Prosperity......... And I was given a Brain and Brawn to work.
I asked for Courage......... And I received Danger to overcome.
I asked for Love......... And I was blessed with troubled people in my  life.
I asked for Favours......... And I received Opportunities.
I received nothing I wanted ........ I received everything I needed!

Father Michael J. Coutts, S.J.
Our Lady of Lourdes in Toronto, Ontario, Canada