The healing of Bartimaeus, I think, can be relate to the healing of the blind man at Bethsaida (Mk 8: 22-26). In the latter the man is brought by friends to Jesus and has his sight gradually restored. After this he is told to go home and not to even enter the village. Bartimaeus, by contrast, cries out on his own initiative and refuses to be ignored. He comes to Jesus and after requesting to be able to "see again" is immediately cured and follows Jesus "on the way." "On the way" is a marker for discipleship but it is also the way of the triumphal entry into Jerusalem and the Passion which follow on from the story. Between the two episodes there is a block of teaching about what it means to be a disciple. The metaphor of vision can be applied to all those in the Markan community who have an inadequate understanding of what discipleship means. Like the man at Bethsaida, many are brought by others to the faith and only gradually receive an understanding of it. The attitude of Bartimaeus, who throws of his cloak and humbly asks to be able to see, contrasted with the inadequacy of the Apostles as they squabble about status, is to be emulated. Catholics today can sometimes be dazzled by the glorious artistic and liturgical heritage of the past when the Church seemed to be so much more impressive. The way of suffering and the Cross, St Mark would tell us, is the mark of true discipleship.
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