Once upon a time, there was a beggar. Early each morning, with his tin cup in hand, he would walk from the outskirts of town and cross over a bridge which led to the downtown section of the city. There he would stand on a certain busy corner, shake his tin cup as people walked by, and call out a blessing to those who dropped in a coin or two...
For years the beggar carried out this routine, day-after-day following the same route to the city, crossing the same bridge and standing on the same corner. And, most mornings, as he crossed the bridge, he would pass two philosophy students walking the other way toward the University.
After a while, the students began to take an interest in the beggar's situation. "If he were placed in different circumstances," said one, "he might not be out begging everyday." The other student didn't entirely agree, and the discussion continued for a while until, finally, they decided to put some of their ideas to a test. With help from University researchers, they were able to fill a small purse with gold coins valued at more than the beggar could collect in years. A note explaining that the coins belonged to the University and were part of a test, was placed out of sight underneath the coins. Then, early in the morning, the students placed the open purse on the bridge, concealed themselves, and waited for the beggar to pass by. Would he pick up the purse full of coins and turn back? Or would he pocket the purse, go to his usual corner and start begging as usual?
The beggar walked onto the bridge exactly on schedule. But, even though he was walking with his head down, he went right past the purse without missing a step. And soon he was on his usual corner with his tin cup.
The students were flabbergasted. They recovered the purse and began to debate the question of why the beggar ignored all those coins in that open purse. Finally, they decided to ask the beggar to explain. "Good morning," said one of the students. "we've been watching you take the same route to this corner for a long time and we thought we'd like to make your acquaintance. But, tell me, didn't you notice anything unusual on the bridge this morning?" "Strange that you should ask," the beggar replied. "Actually, as I approached the bridge this morning I was having the strangest thoughts about how I followed exactly the same pattern each day, and how my life was passing by without even the slightest detail being changed. Then, as I stepped onto the bridge, I asked myself, 'I wonder what it would be like if I were blind?' So I decided to walk over the bridge with my eyes closed."1
In today's Gospel, Mark tells us the story of a beggar named Bartimaeus sitting by the roadside doing his usual thing. Bartimaeus never wondered what it would be like if he were blind--he was blind. The question on his mind was, "I wonder what it would be like if I were able to see." Then he hears that Jesus of Nazareth is close by and he begins to cry out, saying, "Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me." Many people in the crowd following Jesus try to shut him up, but Bartimaeus persists: "Son of David, have mercy on me." Hearing the man, Jesus stops and says, "Call him." And the people say to the blind man, "Take heart. He is calling you." And Bartimaeus throws off his mantle and places himself before Jesus. "What do you want Me to do for you?" Jesus asks. "Master, let me receive my sight," Bartimaeus begs. Jesus replies, "Go your way; your faith has made you well." And immediately Bartimaeus receives his sight and begins to follow Jesus.
Bartimaeus, the blind beggar, was caught up in what appeared to be a hopeless situation. But he wanted desperately to receive his sight, and something from within had sparked hope that Jesus was the in-the-flesh manifestation of God's healing Works.
We come to Jesus in that same spirit of abiding hope. We come to Jesus so that our eyes may be opened to the "Why?" of sorrow and suffering. We come to Jesus so that our eyes may be opened to the "Why?" of life itself. We come to Jesus for assurance that the sorrow and suffering symbolized by the pain in a man's blindness are not endured in vain.
We open our eyes and look to Jesus for assurance that in His Father's Plan, good overcomes evil. We open our eyes and look to jesus for our vision of hope for everlasting life and happiness. And, secure in that vision of the future, with eyes wide open, we follow Jesus.
There may be times when you will face a future that appears even more terrifying than the worst of the past. There may be times when the vision will become blurred, times when signs of "danger ahead" will appear, times when you will cry out "No! The Lord's way is too risky!" Then the Lord will ask, "What do you want Me to do for you?" And you will answer, "I want to see again." And you will know that the last spark of hope cannot be extinguished in those who follow Jesus. You will know that the trials and tribulations that lie ahead will not prevail.
"Hope springs eternal in the human heart," we say. But, why should it? The answer is found in that cosmic event in human history whereby that which was done was undone: The Son of the Living God died and was restored to life. Jesus, who died, lives. "Earth to earth, ashes to ashes, dust to dust; in sure and certain hope of the Resurrection." This is the sure and certain hope of all who "fix their eyes on Jesus" (Heb. 3:1).
What's done is done, and is in God's hands. But there are works to be done that God has placed in our hands. Let us, therefore, fix our eyes on Jesus, and follow Him in His ministry of healing and loving service.
A blind man was asked by a sympathetic woman, "Doesn't being blind rather color your life?" The blind man replied, "Yes, but, thank God, I can choose the color. And since I am responsible for my life, I'm going to keep on choosing the most beautiful colors I can." Since you are responsible for your own life, you can color it as you choose. COLOR IT LOVE!
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