30th Sunday in Ordinary Time (B)

"What do you want me to do for you?" (Mk 10:46-52)

As Jesus was leaving Jericho with his disciples and a sizable crowd...

The book of Joshua relates how Yahweh delivered Jericho into the hands of Israel.

And to Joshua the LORD said, "I have delivered Jericho and its king into your power. Have all the soldiers circle the city, marching once around it. Do this for six days, with seven priests carrying ram's horns ahead of the ark. On the seventh day march around the city seven times, and have the priests blow the horns. When they give a long blast on the ram's horns and you hear that signal, all the people shall shout aloud. The wall of the city will collapse, and they will be able to make a frontal attack."

"Jesus, son of David, have pity on me."

By calling Jesus, son of David, Bartimaeus was publicly proclaiming his faith in Jesus as the Messiah. For the Messiah was expected to be from David's line. And in fact, Joseph was from David's line. Hence, when Augustus Caesar ordered a census of the Roman empire Joseph had to go to Bethlehem which was the city of David.

And many rebuked him, telling him to be silent.

Bartimaeus was making a commotion. His behavior was almost scandalous. It was understandable that the told him to keep quiet.

But he kept calling out all the more, "Son of David, have pity on me."

Bartimaeus could not let the opportunity pass. It might never come back.

He threw aside his cloak.

The cloak was spread on the ground. Alms were thrown on the cloak. By throwing aside the cloak, it seems as if Bartimaeus was setting aside his life as a beggar in order to follow another way of life.

Jesus said to him in reply, "What do you want me to do for you?"

This behavior of Jesus was perplexing to me. Why would he ask Bartimaeus that question? Was the answer not obvious? Surely Bartimaeus would not answer: "I want a house." A commentator offers this explanation: Jesus was giving him the chance to profess his faith publicly. By answering: "Master, I want to see", Bartimaeus was telling everyone that he believed Jesus had the power to give him his sight.

In the same way when we pray, we do not inform God. He already knows what we are going to ask for. When we pray we are expressing our faith in the power and goodness of God.

Jesus told him, "Go your way; your faith has saved you." Immediately he received his sight.

We need faith if God is able to give us the good things he wants to give us.

And followed him on the way.

Bartimaeus threw aside his cloak because he no longer had need of it. He was not going to go begging anymore. From now on he was going to be a follower of Jesus.