The Gospel of Mark, Chapter 10:52

A blind beggar, Bartimaeus, asked Jesus to cure him of his blindness. The Lord, not only gave Bartimaeus back his physical sight, he also gave him spiritual insight; the kind of insight that led Bartimaeus ”to follow him.”

Faith is a gift. It is the kind of unmerited, spiritual gift that goes beyond appearances; that sees into the heart of things and judges, not according to human prejudice but by spiritual insight. Bartimaeus received the gift of faith to recognize Christ as the living truth, worthy to be followed.

The faith of Bartimaeus was very personal and practical. Thus, the gospel tells us: he started “to follow him up the road.”

Fr. Hugh Duffy