Homily of the 30th Sunday in Ordinary Time Year B: ‘Master, let me see again.’

This phrase, ‘Master, let me see again’ in our Gospel today shows that Bartimaeus was not BORN BLIND. He always had the opportunity of seeing and he lost his sight. We can therefore appreciate the enormity of what Jesus did for him. It was like giving him back his life. He wants to SEE AGAIN. He knows and understands that if he lets this opportunity go by, there will not be another chance. He heard that Jesus of Nazareth was passing by, so he called out to him louder and did not heed to the rest trying to silence him.

The first reading from the Prophet Jeremiah tells us that a day will come when the lame will walk and the blind will see. And certainly, that day began with Jesus Christ. Certainly, this is one of the teaching in today’s Gospel. Bartimaeus sees. The great days that Jeremiah had prophesied had begun. But, perhaps this Gospel reading is deeper than a demonstration of the powers of the Messiah to give sight to the blind. Perhaps, it is speaking about seeing with the eyes of faith.
Those whose souls are blind to the Presence of God cannot follow him. Only those who are willing to take a step of faith, a leap of faith, and seek out the Lord can follow Him. Spiritual blindness is lack of faith, unbelief. Someone who says that there is no God, for instance, is definitely spiritually blind. Psalm 14:1 says, “The fool has said in his heart, ‘There is not God’”. At the conclusion of the long reflection on the healing of the Man Born Blind in the ninth chapter of John, Jesus says, “I came so that those who are blind may see.”

Jesus is concerned to heal us not only of our physical blindness but also he is concerned about healing us of our intellectual and spiritual blindness. Over the centuries, therefore, the Church, the exact n Body of Christ has been in the forefront to battle to eliminate all three forms of blindness: physical blindness through health care services, intellectual blindness through education, and spiritual blindness through evangelisation and catechesis.

Let us avail ourselves of this opportunity to come to Christ. The Good News is that Jesus is always passing by. He can heal and take away whatever ailment or handicap is weighing us down. Bartimaeus did not heed those who tried to dissuade him. May we never allow societal influences to dissuade us from coming to Christ.

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