The Way of Jesus

Homily for Thursday of the Eighth Week in Ordinary Time

The section of St. Mark’s Gospel from which we read today began with the cure of a blind man and ends with the cure of the blind beggar, Bartimaeus. The evangelist uses a technique that is prevalent throughout the Scriptures which is called an inclusion (inclusio). The easiest way to understand this technique or imagery is to think of bookends, structures that keep our bookshelves neat and orderly. The point of the passage can be found somewhere between the bookends.

The section ends with the words: “Go your way; your faith has saved you. Immediately, he received his sight and followed him on the way.” The point of the two cures seems to highlight the spiritual blindness of the disciples and of ourselves. Faith, Mark tells us, cures us of spiritual blindness and enables us to see, no matter how provisionally, the truth of the way of Jesus. Bartimaeus models the correct conduct by falling in behind Jesus and following him to Jerusalem once he realizes that he can see. He does this despite the fact that he has absolutely no idea of what will happen when they arrived in Jerusalem. Falling behind Jesus and following him to Jerusalem is the pattern of our lives as the way will include suffering, death, and resurrection. This is the basic sequence in Christian life. We must bring faith and trust to the encounter we have with Christ.

In the first reading, we hear Saint Peter tell us that Jesus leads us out of darkness into his wonderful light. The early Christians called their movement “The Way.” The way of Jesus leads us through suffering and death to glory. Any other way, the way of power and privilege and aggrandizement is the wrong way. Despite the fact that the path that Jesus walks leads us through suffering, pain, opposition, and all other sorts of difficulty, we are meant to follow him. If we share these kinds of difficulties with Jesus in faith, they become our way to eternal life.

Let us not take for granted what happens daily, at this altar; through the Eucharist, we experience the saving mystery and are asked to follow it.