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Nothing is more unsettling than the inability to understand the world around us. Physical blindness is a terrifying prospect for most of us, but even the moments of being metaphorically blind while chaos reigns in our life can be equally terrifying. When our lives seem to be spiralling downward and we feel that we’re overwhelmed by danger and pain, these can be moments of complete distress.
In such a situation, when full of alarm and terror, and all our efforts produce no solutions, we can do one of two things. We can give into despair and surrender to the belief that things are hopeless. Alternatively, we can do what Bartimaeus does in today’s Gospel: go deeper in prayer. Bartimaeus’ pleas to Christ are prayers made by a desperate man.
When Bartimaeus begins shouting “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” he is met by scorn from the crowds. This serves as a stark reminder that prayer doesn’t always yield an instant fix to our problems. However, Bartimaeus persists in prayer, and the outcome is ultimately one that sees a solution to his plight. Whether or not we get the answer we expect, we can take consolation in today’s Gospel that for those who persist in prayer in dire circumstances, Christ will not leave us abandoned. Our faith will make us well.