30th Sunday in Ordinary Time
October 30, 2015
10 AM Liturgy
J.A. Loftus, S.J.
Has anyone ever accused you of being “a veritable storehouse of useless
information?” In my earlier life, friends of mine would, with some frequency,
say that of me. (I know that’s hard to believe, but they did!) What I’ve
discovered growing older is that sometimes apparently useless information
turns out to be a fascinating path to insight.
Or have you heard as often as I have people urging you to “look at the
big picture!” Don’t worry about the details. Go for the forest, not the trees!
We all know that sometimes “the devil is in the details.” Do you suppose
sometimes, at least, the good angels can be in the details too? Little things can
be important—and instructive.
Two of today’s readings are what prompted me to remember these
phrases. Each reading holds fascinating and strange little “asides” that could
easily be overlooked. But paying attention to them together might lead to
some unexpected insights. So I got out my microscope and invite you to join
me. Let’s put away our telescopes for a change and take out our microscopes
to explore what appears to be tiny. Let’s see what happens.
Jeremiah voices one of the most cherished hopes and dreams of Israel:
That their God would indeed lead them all back from exile where they had
been so scattered and lost. God would gather the remnant of Israel and
deliver them from the pain of pointless searching.
But there is an oddity in what Jeremiah says: “I will gather them from
the ends of the world, with the blind and the lame in their midst....” Notice
anything strange? The blind and the lame are not cured, not healed. They
are in the midst of the throng returning home. That seems odd to me.
This reading is here in today’s liturgy quite obviously because of the
reference to Jesus healing the blind Bartimaeus in the gospel. Yet these blind
and lame people in Jeremiah do not get healed, they are not made whole. It is
a strange reference, easy to miss. ‘Tis a puzzlement!
Let’s turn to Bartimaeus for a minute (the Gospel). There are two
strange details in this story that also invite comment. The first is the mention
of his “throwing off his cloak” when Jesus calls him. It too is a strange detail
for St. Mark, who, as we know, is the shortest and most condensed of the
gospels. There are rarely details in Mark’s gospel that are superfluous. If it’s
there, it must have some meaning. But what?
In my imagination I turn to one of my favorite theologians, Charles
Schultz, the creator of the Peanuts comic strip. Is Bartimaeus’ cloak like
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Linus’ security blanket? Was it his only comfort in life? The only warmth he
had? The only friend? Did his mother weave it for him knowing as a blind
man he would end up begging by the sides of cold and dusty roads all his life.
Was it maybe symbolic of a baptismal robe? Is this one strange comment by
St. Mark meant to be a sacramental allusion? What then would make him
throw it off? Interesting question.
On to another strange note in Mark’s account. When Jesus says to
Bartimaeus “Your faith has healed you, go your way.” Bartimaeus does not
listen to him. Bartimaeus immediately throws off his cloak and “follows him
on his way, “on the way,” the gospel says. (“The Way” was one of the earliest
descriptions of the Christian community following Jesus.)
This story in Mark’s gospel is not just another healing story. It is the
story of everyone who would follow Jesus. It is the story of conversion and
discipleship. It is your story and mine–especially when we add Jeremiah’s
little insight into the mix.
Regardless of how young or how old you are, have you yourself ever felt
like an exile? Not one of “the gang?” Have you ever felt abandoned? Even
by God? Have you ever sensed yourself just sitting in the dust of a roadside
wondering where you are? Ever sk yourself, “where the heck____am I?”
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Wondering where you might be going, if anywhere? Have you ever heard the
voices of others on the road just passing you by? Some of them even call
themselves disciples, but they just tell you to be quiet and to stop calling out
names.
Have you ever had the slightest hint of perhaps being blind yourself?
Blind maybe to that to a “bigger picture” in life? Blind to a path in life that
others seem to find more easily? These are the questions St. Mark expects his
listeners to ask. There is a story within the story.
There is a bigger story here. Remember that in so many of Jesus’
stories the reality is that the truly blind end up seeing clearly and those who
think they can see turn out to miss the point entirely.
So perhaps like Bartimaeus, St. Mark tells us, all we may need to do is
to call out his name with persistence. And the name is, of course, Jesus of
Nazareth. This is a story of faith for us all. St. Mark suggests that when one
feels abandoned and blinded and lost, one just needs to keep calling out. Oh,
there is always a price. In this case, the price is a cherished cloak that defines
one’s past history. But it can be gladly thrown off when one hears that faith
itself can save you. Just keep calling out!
Did you notice another little piece in the story? Jesus does not take any
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credit himself for a healing. Rather he says to Bartimaeus: “Your faith has
saved you.” And then Jesus says simply: Go wherever you will. Go your
way. There is always a choice and we all live in the freedom of the sons and
daughters of God. No one will ever force you. Not even Jesus.
Remember Jeremiah’s touch. Not everyone is healed. Some remain
lame and blind. But all are invited on the trek home. All are included to join
the Way. God’s Kingdom belongs to us all and it might just be here and now.
Useless information? Or priceless invitation? You choose! Peace!
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