Gospel: Luke 18:35-43

 

The Gospel today describes Jesus’ arrival in Jericho. It is the last stop before Jesus goes to Jerusalem, where His “Exodus”, according to what he announced in the Transfiguration scene will take place.  

 

In the Gospel of Mark, the blind man is called Bartimaeus. Since he was blind, he could not participate in the procession which accompanied Jesus. He calls Jesus using the title “Son of David”. The teaching of that time taught that the Messiah would descend from David, a “Son of David”. We know that Jesus did not like this title. In quoting the Messianic Psalm, he asks Himself: “How is it that the Messiah can be the son of David if even David calls him “My Lord?”.  

 

And what does Jesus do? Jesus stopped and ordered them to bring the man to him. Those who wanted to stop the blind man from shouting b, now are asked  to help  poor man to get to Jesus. The Gospel of Mark adds that the blind man left everything and went to Jesus. He did not have  much, only his mantle  to cover his body. His mantle was his home! 

 

When he came up to Jesus, He asked him: “What do you want me to do for you?” It is not sufficient to shout or cry out. It is necessary to know why he is shouting! 

 

And Jesus says “Receive your sight. Your faith has saved you”. Immediately he recovers his sight and begins to follow Jesus praising God. When the blind man calls by the title “Son of David,” he probably bothered Jesus, but his faith in Jesus exceeded his ideas about Jesus. Once he was cured, he follows Jesus and walks along with Him toward Jerusalem. In this way, he becomes a model disciple for all of us who want “to follow Jesus along the road” toward Jerusalem.