Bartimaeus

"Master, I want to see."

Bartimaeus was a man born blind. When we are stripped of one of our senses our other senses become heightened. As Bartimaeus sat begging for his food day after day in the public square, he could hear clearly the whispers on the wind. He could hear the people’s chatter about the miracle worker who walked among them. Could this be the long-awaited messiah, come to restore the Kingdom of David?

Then, as the crowd passed by, Bartimaeus could feel the energy in the air. He called out, "Jesus, son of David, have pity on me." He was immediately rebuked by the crowd. Not because he called out to Jesus, but because he had addressed him as Son of David. Son of David was a title reserved for only the messiah; a messiah the people hoped would free them from the Roman occupation. They had a very real fear that Bartimaeus was going to draw unwanted attention to them.

Jesus called Bartimaeus to his side and asked one simple question. "What do you want me to do for you?"

Bartimaeus had lived his entire life in darkness. He had no idea what anything looked like. He had never seen another person. He asked for the deepest longing in his heart. “Master, I want to see.”

In an instant, Bartimaeus was cast into the light; a light so bright it hurt his eyes. As his eyes adjusted to the light and the world came into focus for the very first time, what did he see? The first thing Bartimaeus saw was the face of God smiling back at him. Jesus not only gave him his sight, but he had restored his life. Bartimaeus would never beg again.

Bartimaeus foreshadowed the disciples who traveled with Jesus for three years but were blind to see who he really was. They said with their lips that they knew he was the son of God but their belief lacked conviction. Jesus very clearly told them that he was going to be crucified, die, and rise on the third day. They could not understand what he meant by that. Their eyes would be opened when he appeared in their midst in the upper room on Easter Sunday.

We are not that very different. We know that the Eucharist is Jesus. The Church has taught us this from the very beginning. Yet, for many of us, when we stand before Jesus in the Eucharist, see only bread and treat it as such. Our belief also lacks conviction.

If we can’t see Jesus in the Eucharist, even after proclaiming we believe it is, how can we begin to see Jesus in others? If we can’t see Jesus in others, how do we begin to love them as Christ loves us? The utmost longing of our hearts should be to see the Lord in the way that Bartimaeus saw him. We get that opportunity every time we receive the Eucharist.

When you stand before Jesus in the Eucharist repeat the words of Bartimaeus. Master, I want to see. I want to see you in the Eucharist. I want to see you in the homeless and in those in need. I want to see you in the migrant and the struggling mother. I want to see you in the drug addicted and even in those who wish to do me harm. Then open my heart and help me to love them the way you have loved me.