Blind bum given place of honor

Jeremi preached today, as usual thought-provoking and right on target.

The Gospel (Mark 10:46-52) was Jesus giving sight the the blind Bartimaeus, a poor beggar. Even the blind see Jesus, Mark jabs, if you remember a few chapters back that only the rich man refused to follow Jesus, for it would require giving up his possessions.

Mark gets it right there within the meaning of the words themselves: Bar-Timaeus. Son of Timaeus. Son of Honor. Son of the Highly Prized Man. (You can look up the Greek yourself.) Bartimaeus: a blind bum from an honorable family.

Story after story, healing after healing: these are the people whom Jesus loves, whom Jesus restores to wholeness and dignity. These people on the edges of society: Jesus brings them right into the middle. Cast off no more. Honorable once again.

I think often of the disparaging comments local elected leaders made to me, about the work we are doing at St. Paul's Church and with the PleasantGreen Project: just a bunch of religious do-gooders. They fairly spit the words out of their mouths, implying we are foolish, short-sighted, that our work pulls down the community, hurts them and any other self-respecting citizen of Brockton.

When Bartimaeus, the blind bum, dared to call out for mercy, and Jesus heard his cries, the disciples said to him, "Take courage. He calls you."

Jesus call us, too, and now we see. We all don't have to be blind bums in order to see, but if we stand in their shoes, see the world through their eyes -- mixed metaphors and all -- then yes. Our honor is restored, and yes, we can see. We can see hope in the struggles of people to live with dignity, to find a home, to stay off drugs, to live in peace. We can see healing in hot meal, in a hand shake, in the simple act of holding out hands and receiving a piece of bread.

Beauty is all around us. Our harvest-time altar reflects the beauty of the season. Come. Give thanks. Rejoice.