Thirtieth Sunday in Ordinary Time - Two-Minute Homily: Bishop Tim Norton SVD

0:00 Jesus and the disciples are leaving the town of Jericho, 0:03 heading south to Jerusalem. 0:05 This is significant because He is heading toward those dramatic events 0:09 that will lead to his suffering and death. 0:12 The blind man who calls out to Jesus is Bartimaeus, 0:16 son of Timaeus. 0:18 Although the crowd initially try to silence him, 0:20 he will not be stopped so easily, 0:22 probably because he has heard a lot about Jesus 0:25 who, upon hearing Bartimaeus call out, calls him forward. 0:29 And Jesus asks him the most unexpected question, 0:32 what do you want me to do for you? 0:34 We often ask Jesus that same question in our prayer, 0:38 Jesus, what do you want me to do for you? 0:40 But this time it is Jesus who is asking Bartimaeus. 0:44 Teacher, let me see again! 0:45 So Bartimaeus was a man who lost his sight, 0:48 thus lost his ability and his permission 0:50 to be part of the society of that time. 0:53 As a blind man, a man with eye disease, 0:55 he was excluded from worship in the temple and many other activities. 1:00 Jesus not only heals him but restores him to the community. 1:04 With his sight miraculously returned, 1:06 he follows Jesus as a disciple. 1:09 If we ask Jesus to help us see what He wants us to see, 1:12 are we ready to respond with unconditional discipleship like Bartimaeus? 1:18 If Jesus helps me see the broken heart of the teenager who yelled at me, 1:22 or the joint pain of the old man who is slow at the checkout, 1:25 or the poverty of the woman on the bus who does not smell too good. 1:28 Am I ready to love them anyway? 1:31 Be careful if Jesus offers to make you see, 1:34 because that inner sight of empathy and compassion can be very costly, 1:38 but it will only make us better followers of Jesus.