‘Son of David, have mercy on me’ (Mk. 10:47). ⧾
The request made by Bartimaeus in his encounter with Our Lord reveals two things: the blind man’s faith in Our Lord’s power to heal him, and the fact that at one time this man had been able to see, but on account of an unspecified reason he had lost his sight. ‘My teacher, let me see again’. Having regained his sight Bartimaeus followed Jesus on the way. This last detail is more significant than it appears for the way is one of the earliest terms used in the New Testament to describe the Christian faith. All of us are familiar with Our Lord’s declaration: I am the way, the truth and the life. Christian life, simply expressed is life in Christ by the power and presence of the Holy Spirit. The goal and purpose of our life is to become as Christ-like as possible; to grow in Our Lord’s likeness and to reflect His glory.
We well know that it is quite possible in life to lose one’s way; to be blinded by other things which, while good and even necessary, can never become the greatest good in our lives or the thing to which we give the greatest importance. It is also possible for any number of reasons, to lose one’s way; and consequently, to become blind to truth, to goodness and to beauty. For this reason, the prayer or request of Bartimaeus is easily one that we can make our very own not only if we have lost our way but also as we walk with Our Lord along the path of devout humility.