Jeremiah 31:7-9 / Hebrews 5:1-6 / Mark 10:46-52
Words that that have similar meanings are call synonyms. Sometimes they are called related words.
Though they may have similar meanings and may be related in some way, they also have distinct meanings when it comes to usage and understanding.
For example, the words “light” and “bright” have similar meanings and may be related in some way. But a bright picture does not mean that there is a light shining from it. Similarly a bright tone of an instrument has nothing to do with the brightness of a light.
The same can be said of quiet and silent. A quiet person may mean that a person is pensive and thinking about things but may not be silent about everything.
And it is said that there is a big difference between a quiet woman and a silent woman. A quiet woman is a wonder. A silent woman is a time-bomb. When the mother or wife is silent, we better wonder why.
In the gospel, we hear of a man who may come across as a quiet and a silent person. And we can even wonder at this person.
He has a name, yet it is not a name. The gospel says that he is called Bartimaeus, but it is quick to clarify that it means “son of Timaeus”. So what is the name of the son of Timaeus, we are not told; just that he was called Bartimaeus.
He has no name, and he has no sight – he is blind. And he is a beggar. So Bartimaeus is quite a poor thing – he has no identity, no faculty, and he is in poverty.
Going by Social Economic Status (SES) Bartimaeus is really at the bottom. He has no say in things, and he can be called a quiet and silent person, as he spends his time thinking about how unfortunate and desperate his life is, but there is no one who would listen to him.
But when Bartimaeus heard that Jesus was passing that way, he began to shout and say, “Jesus, Son of David, have pity on me.”
But when he was told by the crowd to keep quiet, i.e. to shut-up, he shouted all the louder.
The crowd was irritated by his shouting, so they weren’t listening to what he was shouting out, nor did they see the meaning of what is happening.
Bartimaeus, who has no identity, no faculty and living in poverty, meaning to say, a “nobody’ with nothing to offer, was given a revelation of who Jesus is.
Jesus has a name and He has a background – Jesus of Nazareth. He also has a mystical title – Son of David. And He is the one who will look with pity on the poor, the desperate, the helpless and the hopeless, people like Bartimaeus.
The crowd didn’t catch, the crowd didn’t see it, and in their irritation, they only want to silence Bartimaeus.
But Jesus heard it, Jesus saw it, and things are going to change for Bartimaeus.
As we reflect on the gospel passage, we may find ourselves identifying with the crowd. Often, our irritation and frustration blinds us to see and hear the needs of others, and we silence the deeper meanings of the situations and experiences of our lives.
A 40-year-old man visited his old father who could no longer see very well. As both of them sat in front of the father’s house, a dove flew in and perched on the window.
The old man asked his son, "Is that a dove that perched on the window?". The son replied, "Yes dad".
After a short while, he asked the son the same question a second time and got the same answer.
When he asked the same question the third time, his son became angry and rebuked him saying, "This is why I hate visiting you, you keep repeating questions!"
The old man was silent for a while, and then he asked his son to go into his bedroom and fetch his old diary. The son did as he requested. Then he asked him to read page 2 of the diary. The words read:
"My son is 3 years old today. As we sat in front of the house playing, a dove flew in and perched on the window. My son asked me 30 times if it was a dove. I gladly replied "yes" to each question. I cannot explain in words how happy I am that my son has learned to talk. What a wonderful day to remember!"
The man held the diary and stared at it, and was quiet and silent, and then he apologized to his father.
The old man spoke again, "Enough son, one mistake cannot make you less a man, but repeating the same mistake over and over again can kill any man. I've chosen today to teach you the final lesson before I depart from this world. The lesson for today is “Patience”. Always be kind and considerate to the less privileged, this is how you'll stand out in eternity. Be nice to everyone on your way up, you'll definitely meet them again on your way down!"
So the person we looked down on today may turn out to be the person we need tomorrow. Let’s learn to walk in patience and understand each other even in adverse conditions.
If the crowd had succeeded in silencing Bartimaeus, then we would never have heard of that revelation: Jesus, Son of David, have pity on me.
It is a revelation that is meant for our reflection and meditation.
When we know who Jesus is, then we will know who we are, and we will look to the Lord Jesus for mercy, and we will also look with pity on the poor, the desperate, the helpless and the hopeless, people who are like Bartimaeus. They are always around, if only we look and listen to them.