BARTIMAEUS

Every year I try hard to focus my prayer in a new way. A few years ago I studied and prayed with all of the questions Jesus asks us in the gospels. There are 307 and one of which is “What do you want me to do for you?” This is the question Jesus asked Bartimaeus. This year I am praying with healing miracles and reading about saints that healed and how early Christianity is where the concept of the hospital was founded. Each month I meditate daily on a different healing miracle of Jesus’ and for June that is the healing of Bartimaeus.

This story has fascinated me since the beginning. Bartimaius can have two meanings because it is closely translated to Aramaic and also Greek. While he was a Jew and “Bar” means “son of”, there was significant Hellenistic ideas at this time and place and I think the double entendre is significant. Bartimaeus’ name means either, “Son of the honorable” or “Son of the unclean”.

While our modern, westernized lens looks at a blind person and usually comes to the assumption that the person has a medical issue, that was not the case in Jesus’ time. Bartimaeus would be considered “unclean” as this blindness (and result of being a beggar as well), meant the man was a sinner. An unclean person was denied access to the temple which essentially meant they were broken off from God. Yet, when we look at the other version of this name, it means “Son of the honorable”. Bartimaeus is also a child of God, the honorable. He has done no wrong to make him blind, he just is blind. It is neither him nor his parents that sinned. Jesus teaches us this of the sick and the lame. He very likely had a father that was a man of honor, maybe even prestige, in his town of Jericho, but it all came to nothing with his blindness and our inability to truly see. While Bartimaeus was the one that was blind, we all need to adjust our vision.

What I loved about this story so much years ago when I focused on the questions of Jesus was that Jesus comes and asks what he can do for us. I personally have a hard time asking God for things. I pray for others and I try to get closer to God, but seldom do I ask for things. When I do ask, they are for virtues, but almost never anything for myself. This story helps me remember that I can ask Jesus. While he already knows what I need and want; it is good to ask as it helps me recognize my dependence on Him. I need Jesus. I cannot do everything by myself. It is our duty to put our faith and trust in our creator and by asking him for things we get better at exercising our faith.

While I love to write, most of my days are spent with massive amounts of studying for nursing school. I have grown more accustomed to mnemonics and during a time of reflection today I thought up one for Bartimaeus. I would like to share it below, but perhaps it is a poem:

B Bartimaeus, the Blind Beggar, was

A Asked by Jesus, “What do you want me to do for you?”

R Restoration of sight was given immediately when he

T Told Jesus, “Master, I want to see.”

I Israel was the country of the

M Man granted a Miracle

A “Amazing!” the people Announced because he was Able-bodied Again

E Excited, Elated, Exuberant was he because

U Unafraid, he listened when they said, “Take courage, get up, he is calling you.”

S Salvation and Sight came to Jericho!