By Father Paul Nord, O.S.B.
Sunday Scripture
First Reading: Jeremiah 31:7-9; Response: Psalm 126:1-6; Second Reading: Hebrews 5:1-6; Gospel: Mark 10:46-52
Jeremiah chapters 1-29 primarily emphasize God’s judgment upon the people of Jerusalem and Judah for their sins. By contrast, Jeremiah 30-33 prophesy that God will someday restore his people to a new relationship with himself. Today’s reading (Jeremiah 31) comes from this section, which emphasizes consolation and hope for the future.
The Lord’s message begins with three verbs — which are three commands given to the hearer: “Shout ... exult ... proclaim!” This is an expression of joy and praise for God. The reason for shouting and exultation is given next: “The LORD has delivered his people, the remnant of Israel.” The people who have survived destruction are called “the remnant.” God promises to “bring them back from the land of the north ... from the ends of the world.” This may refer to the scattering of the people of Israel after Babylon destroyed Jerusalem and its Temple in 586 B.C.
In this passage, the Lord promises to gather his people back together from these distant places to which they had been scattered. God says, “They departed in tears, but I will console them and guide them.” This image of God’s gathering “an immense throng” includes the blind, the lame and pregnant women. They are vulnerable, and God will protect and provide for them. This theme is continued with imagery: “I will lead them to brooks of water, on a level road, so that none shall stumble.”
God’s care for his people is emphasized by the final phrases: “For I am a father to Israel, Ephraim is my first-born.” Here “Ephraim” refers to the ten Israelite tribes of the “Northern Kingdom” — which had earlier been conquered by the Assyrians. The Israelite tribe of Judah had formed a separate kingdom with its capital in Jerusalem. The kingdom of Judah had resisted Assyrian invasion and thus was conquered only later by the Babylonians. In this passage, God is promising to restore all his people — the Israelites of all twelve tribes — after their destruction and scattering.
Next, the letter to the Hebrews compares Jesus to the high priest of the old covenant, with its temple in Jerusalem. This text describes how a high priest was set aside from other men to be a special representative for the people before God. The role of the high priest in making sin offerings on behalf of the people is emphasized here. The purpose is to compare this with Jesus Christ’s death on the cross as a sin offering for all people — universal and eternal. Jesus deals “patiently with the ignorant and erring” because he shares our human weakness.
These comparisons show Jesus to be a high priest who far surpasses the high priest of the Temple in Jerusalem. Jesus is “called by God” for this purpose — as were the high priests who were descended from Aaron (the first high priest of Israel). As Christ was called by God, he was also glorified by God “in becoming high priest.” To emphasize this point, two quotations from the Psalms follow. First: “You are my son: this day I have begotten you.” These words of the Lord God in Psalm 2:7 are applied here to Jesus (Hebrews 5:5).
The second psalm quotation is the Lord God saying: “You are a priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek” (Psalm 110:4). This is particularly important because verse 1 of Psalm 110 is quoted by Jesus in Matthew 22:41-46 to justify the Messiah’s superiority to King David. (Mark 12:35-37 and Luke 20:41-44 are similar parallel passages). Psalm 110 is often recognized as the New Testament’s most quoted psalm for explaining Jesus the Messiah. While Jesus quotes verse 1 of Psalm 110 in the Gospels, the letter to the Hebrews focuses on verse 4 of Psalm 110 in Hebrews 5:6 and 5:10. This concept of Jesus as a priest like Melchizedek is further developed in Hebrews 7. This section describes Jesus as high priest of a new law and new covenant — which establishes a new people with a new relationship with God (Hebrews 6:20-8:13).
In today’s Gospel, Bartimaeus the blind man receives his sight by Jesus’ healing power. It is a dramatic scene. Bartimaeus is begging alongside the road when Jesus walks past. Clearly, Bartimaeus had heard of Jesus’ many healings. And so Bartimaeus cries out: “Jesus, son of David, have pity on me!” By calling Jesus “son of David,” Bartimaeus is declaring Jesus to be the Messiah — an expression of faith. Jesus confirms this when he heals Bartimaeus — saying to him: “Go your way; your faith has saved you.”
This expression of faith in Jesus by the blind man Bartimaeus can be contrasted with the lack of faith by Jesus’ disciples in the section immediately preceding today’s Gospel (Mark 10:46-52). That is, in Mark 10:32-45 Jesus predicts his suffering and death. His disciples must fail to understand this because James and John then ask to share in the earthly glory that they expect for Jesus as Messiah. Instead, Jesus asks them if they can share his suffering and death. In both passages, the disciples show a kind of spiritual “blindness” which contrasts with the blind Bartimaeus — who shows deep faith in Jesus.
Bartimaeus sits alongside the road. The blind man sees nothing, but he hears Jesus coming. He cries out loudly to Jesus for mercy. The large crowd tries to quiet Bartimaeus, but he cries out even louder: “Son of David, have pity on me!” Jesus stops walking: “Call him.” When Bartimaeus hears that Jesus is calling him, he dramatically throws aside his cloak, springs up with great energy and hurries to Jesus’ side. He says: “Master, I want to see.” He actually calls Jesus “my teacher” in Greek. It is an urgent plea, and Jesus immediately heals him.
Note one final detail — Bartimaeus “followed him on the way.” Leaving Jericho, Jesus travels now toward Jerusalem, where he will suffer and die. Bartimaeus received his sight just in time to see God’s love poured out for humanity on the cross.