Twenty-Third Sunday after Pentecost
On the Margins
One of the most important words for us to notice in this passage comes in verse 51, when Bartimaeus says to Jesus, “My teacher, let me see again.” It helps us to understand that at one point in his life, Bartimaeus was not blind.
Living with blindness in a world where many others can see can certainly have its challenges. However, living through a transition where your life drastically changes from what it once was to what it is now can be filled with grief, loss of identity, doubt, anger . . .
the list goes on. This is where we meet Bartimaeus in this journey— someone who has been pushed to the margins of society and left to beg on the streets. Because of the ways in which his abilities meet the world, the community that surrounds him deems him less valuable. It is important for us to sit with Bartimaeus in this part of his journey.
Bartimaeus calls out to Jesus with vigor in his voice. There is confidence that Jesus is able to give him what he wants, to give him back his sight. Perhaps he wants his sight back so he can see the colors of creation around him again or see the face of a beloved. But I think he wants his sight back because he wants to find his sense of belonging again in a community that had cast him out, rather than lift him up.
The reality is that, after regaining his sight, Bartimaeus will never be the same again. Having lived through this, he has come to understand the feeling of living on the margins. May we all be blessed with his sight, to see and understand the importance of how we respond as a community.
Gregory M. Behrend, You Belong Faith Community and You Belong Ministry
Green Bay, Wisconsin