Mark 10:46-52

"They came to Jericho; and as Jesus was leaving the town, with his disciples and a large crowd, Bartimaeus (that is, son of Timaeus), a blind beggar, was seated at the roadside.

Hearing that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to shout, 'Son of David, Jesus, have pity on me!' Many of the people told him to hold his tongue; but he shouted all the more, 'Son of David, have pity on me.'

Jesus stopped and said, 'Call him'; so they called the blind man: 'Take heart,' they said. 'Get up; he is calling you.' At that he threw off his cloak, jumped to his feet, and came to Jesus.

Jesus said to him, 'What do you want me to do for you?' 'Rabbi,' the blind man answered, 'I want my sight back.' Jesus said to him, 'Go; your faith has healed you.' And at once he recovered his sight and followed him on the road."


What Bartimaeus means for us --

At the start of the occurrence Bartimaeus is sitting by the roadside, as life goes by, and he cannot see. He is told that Jesus is close to him. He calls out to Jesus. People, including Jesus' followers, say 'Don't', but Jesus tells them to call him. Bartimaeus throws off that which protects him (his cloak), and unprotected comes to Jesus. He tells Jesus that he wants to be able to see. This is granted, and Bartimaeus becomes a pilgrim, no longer standing by the road as life goes by, but now on his journey, following Jesus on the road.

Rather than sitting by the road, where the world so often says 'don't listen to the Jesus who is close to you' we need to throw off that which protects us (whatever that may be) and in trust ask Jesus to open our eyes to reality, and to become pilgrims, following him on the road.

So what has this to do with us at Blackbank Farm?

We hope this is a place of prayer. Not a traditional community, nor a retreat house, but somewhere where prayer is regularly offered each day, and where people who are in that Bartimaeus experience can share with us.