Ecclesiasticus 42:15-25 / Mark 10:46-52
To be poor is already unfortunate enough. To be poor and to be afflicted with an illness or a handicap, that can be called a terrible misfortune.
To be in such a situation, one may wonder if it is because of some personal sin or some kind of curse that is passed down from the ancestors.
That seemed to be the thinking during the time of Jesus. And it can even go to the extend that the person in question does not have a personal identity, even his father's name is used to identify him.
In the gospel, the blind beggar is known just as Bartimaeus. But the gospel made it a point to state that his name means "the son of Timaeus".
Hence we may understand why the people treated him so harshly when he began to call out for Jesus to have pity on him.
Bartimaeus was almost like a non-entity and hence he was not allowed to speak and he does not deserve to be heard.
Yet in just two sentences Jesus reversed his unfortunate situation - "Call him here." and "What do you want me to do for you?"
Jesus not only healed his blindness and his unfortunate situation, Jesus also stated what it was that brought about his healing and restoration.
Jesus told Bartimaeus: Your faith has saved you.
We who can see must also ask Jesus to strengthen our faith so that with the eyes of faith, we will see the saving love of our Lord.
And as the beginning sentence of the 1st reading puts it, may we go forth and remind others of the works of the Lord, and tell them of what we have seen.