Sunday, October 25, 2009

Thirty Sunday in Ordinary Time

"Son of David, have mercy on me." Bartimaeus, a blind man, begs the Lord Jesus to help him. In Mark's Gospel account of the healing, there may be a play on words, highlighted that Mark repeats himself - Bartimaeus literally means (in Hebrew) Son of Timaeus, a name that in turn means 'unclean'. But St. Mark repeat the name, this time saying that he is a son of Timaeus (in Greek). Timaeus in Greek means 'honor'. Unlike a leper, Bartimaeus calls out not his name "Unclean", but rather Christ's title as the Messiah He knows not only who Christ is, but his own dignity and honor to call out despite the silencing cries of the crowd.

We out to do the same - we have been given a dignity in Christ. Do we call out of that dignity?

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