Seeing Bartimaeus

This is the fifth in a sermon series on selections from chapters 9 through 14 in the Gospel of Mark, and today’s reading is about Jesus encountering a blind man, Bartimaeus, who is asking for healing. This man was off to the side, disabled, poor, unseen by most of the crowd, but the gospel writer wants to bring him forward as an example of discipleship. That the end the account says he “regained his sight” means that he had lost it at some point, and although his father is identified, he has clearly lost touch with family. Bartimaeus has been rejected and marginalized, but he is persistent in his appeal to Jesus. He shouts out to Jesus, and although the crowd tries to quiet him, he shouts louder. And when he is called, he springs up and runs to Jesus.