Ecclesiasticus 42:15-25 / Mark 10:46-52
A person has a name which identifies who he is and he responds to that name.
More than just a name to identify the person, the name is also a symbol of his uniqueness and dignity.
Even a nickname may have the above aspects.
In the gospel, there was this blind beggar who is called Bartimaeus.
But the gospel also mentioned that Bartimaeus means “the son of Timaeus”.
So that blind beggar was identified with a reference to someone else.
That may also indicate that his identity and dignity as a person was often ignored, and his status was also not important.
But all changed when he heard about Jesus.
He called out to Jesus like how others had called him; he began with “Son of David”.
But he also added the name which identified who he was calling: Jesus, have pity on me.
The blind man regained his sight, and as Jesus told him, his faith has saved him.
That blind man saw himself with dignity and status and as a unique person.
Just as he found his dignity and status in Jesus, we too will find our own in Jesus.
Let us ask Jesus to open our eyes to see who we really are, and we will also know how to live our lives as disciples of Jesus.