Chances are, you have heard this story before. The tale of the son of Timaeus, (Bartimaeus), one of the few people healed by Jesus who are actually named in the Bible. His problem was, he couldn’t see. But if we get his story right, and if we listen carefully and thoughtfully to the clues provided in the gospel, this blind man may help us see better. So let us bring him a little bit closer to our times and see how Bartimaeus, the 2018 version, might open our eyes. Let me tell this story spiked with a few contemporary elements.
As Jesus walked through the ancient city of Jericho, on his way to a higher destination, his mind laser-focused on Jerusalem, there was this blind beggar sitting on the side of the road. Most people these days love short and catchy names. So, let’s call him Bart. We can assume that Bart was a familiar face in town. People saw him almost every day. Sometimes he probably asked for something to eat or a little change. Let’s picture him with a white cane resting in his hand. Let’s say he was sitting in a familiar spot, an area that was Bart’s place in town. Like most blind people, he was an excellent interpreter of sounds. He had heard that a famous spiritual healer was going to come through Jericho on his way to Jerusalem. He had also learned about the name and pedigree of this person. So, when commotion erupted on the street, when he heard the “M” word whispered around him, “Messiah,” Bart figured, now or never, my time has come! So he just began to shout, screaming this iconic plea into the air, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” Several of the bodyguards of the famous man – they were called “disciples” – went over and said, “Be quiet, man, and wait your turn. Can’t you see there’s a crowd waiting to see the Jesus, for Christ’s sake?” “I need help,” Bart simply replied.
As the blind man paused in silence, he suddenly felt a clipboard being thrust into his hands. “Now,” said John, one of the man’s assistants, “fill out the following thirteen forms. We need name, address, social security number, next of kin, and whether you have an HMO, PPO, or POS. Please indicate whether you have additional vision or dental coverage. Check the box on page five if this is a work related injury. Any pre-conditions or surgeries? Fill out the duplicate form if you have any secondary insurance, and read and sign the privacy statement at the end and return it to me with your insurance card.” Here, do you see these highlighted areas? You can just initial them.
Bart paused and said, “I can’t read…I’m blind.” “Well then,” said John impatiently, “just give me your insurance card and we’ll try to get you on our schedule anyway.” Bart shook his head in shame, mumbling something under his breath. “What did you say?” John demanded. “I’m uninsured,” Bartimaeus said quietly, his eyes averted.
I still can’t understand you!” blurted John.
“I-AM-UNINSURED!” yelled Bart.
Jesus’ assistants looked at him confused. The blind man could feel that they didn’t know what to do. “Uninsured!!??” one of them finally said. And another one quickly added,
“Do you have cash?”
“No,” said Bart.
“Do you have a credit card?” “No.”
“Do you have a job?” “No.”
“Well,” snapped John, “then you’re just gonna have to find another solution. I’m afraid we can’t help you.” Bart cried out even more loudly, “Son of David, have mercy on me!” Jesus heard the man, stopped what he was doing and said, “Who is that? Call him here.” And they called the blind man, saying to him, “You’re incredibly lucky; get up, you’ve apparently been pre-qualified.”
So throwing off his old jacket, Bart jumped up and came to Jesus. Jesus said to him, “What do you want me to do for you?” Bart said to him, “Holy Lord, let me see again.” Jesus said to him, “Go; your faith has made you well.” And immediately, Bart regained his sight. He could see trees. He could see people. He could actually see Jesus. And as he left, Jesus turned to the disciples and said, “Under no circumstances is this man to be charged a co-pay.”
Now, I admit there are a few miracles in this story. It’s too good to be true, right? I mean, no co-pay? You’ve got to be kidding! No waiting in line? Be serious! And, I forgot, instantaneous healing. Naah, that can’t be true!
The core of the message is this of course: all the bureaucratic, technical procedures, which we labor through almost every day, which make life so complicated and stressful, simply do not apply in the spiritual world. You can get in touch with God, you can speak to Jesus any time. These days you cannot send your child on a trip without filling out a number of forms. You cannot go to a new doctor’s practice without a major transferal of files. You cannot have your children start school without going through an entire list of things they need, and yes, papers to be signed. Heck, you can’t even die without paperwork! Everything in modern life, it seems, is complicated. But in the realm of the spiritual, you can literally sit down, open your heart and let the presence of God find you. All you need is taking the time and you will be next in line. Guaranteed!
The other thing that strikes me is this: there are always people who are falling through the cracks. In any society, in any country, in any community, there are people who are needier than others, who are poor or gravely ill. They are often placed on the side of the road; they are not always in your face; they rarely fit the criteria set by some agency to qualify for help. And so many of us are busy with our own lives, with work and family and fixing the house and going to doctor visits, taking care of our parents, taking care of grandchildren, making dinner… Believe it or not, that’s where we can learn from Jesus. He was busy with his own life. When he traveled through Jericho, he was really on his way to Jerusalem where he knew he would die. Do you think there were maybe a few things on his mind? And yet, he paid attention to this beggar on the side of the road. Do we see those kinds of people?
I said in the beginning that the blind man may help us to see. All things said, it is really time and again about our own blind spots, which everyone has, things we don’t want to see or acknowledge. In that regard, the iconic plea of Bartimaeus, “Jesus, have mercy on me!” may be the prayer that will help us see – seeing our blind spots to become the kinds of people Jesus calls us to be; people who see the man or woman on the side of the road. Why don’t we ask for that kind of eye sight? Why don’t we begin with the prayer of this blind man? “Lord, have mercy on me!” Amen.
Acknowledgment: I found the wonderful dialogue alluding to modern health care in a sermon by the Reverend Susan Sparks (2010) and incorporated it here.