I was a Brownie and a Guide and loved those days, although was terrible homesick on a camping trip and was so scared to use the outhouse at night when my flashlight ran out of batteries that… well, let’s just say that my sleeping bag wasn’t as dry the next morning as it was when I got into it… 😉
Since I was never a Scout, I asked what the Scout Motto and Law are. The motto is the same as Girl Guides: Be Prepared.
The Law and promise are very similar as well.
The Scout Law is:
A Scout is helpful and trustworthy,
Kind and cheerful,
Considerate and clean,
and wise in the use of all resources.
and all Scouts make a promise as they become scouts:
On my honour;
I promise that I will do my best;
To do my duty to God and the King;
To help other people at all times;
and to carry out the spirit of the Scout Law.
there is an alternative version, reflecting the diverse society we live in:
On my honour;
I promise that I will do my best,
To respect my country and my beliefs,
To help other people at all times;
and to carry out the spirit of the Scout Law.
That is remarkably similar to what Jesus said were the greatest two laws: Love God and love your neighbour as yourself. Although that is not the text you just heard or what I am preaching on today, it does form the basis of my theology. And it forms the basis of my ministry.
Today, we heard the story of blind Bartimaeus. Do you know that there are over 300 hymns in Voices United that deal in some way with ‘seeing.’ And they usually have nothing to do with actual physical sight. And neither does the gospel reading this morning. In Mark’s gospel, ‘seeing’ is a metaphor for faith in Jesus. In fact, it is the first time in Mark’s gospel that Jesus is given the title that denotes him as the one who will come to bring good news to the poor, proclaim release to the captives, and recovery of sight to the blind, let the oppressed go free, and proclaim the year of the Lord’s favour. It is the blind man, Bartimaeus, whose name means Son of Timaeus. Bar means son of, in the same way that Mac means son of. It is he who uses for the very first time, the messianic title, Son of David. He ‘sees’ who Jesus is.
In this story, Jesus asks the question, “What do you want me to do for you?” I love this! Jesus so often asked questions, he didn’t assume that he knew what was best for people. He didn’t assume what they needed for healing. Don’t we do that… Out of the kindness and goodness of our hearts, we assume we know what people in need actually need. The biggest example right now is those who are living in encampments. The response was to create shelters… not a bad thing in itself, but what was missing was actual conversation with those who are living in encampments.
As Kimberley Dares, co-owner of The Trainyard, and granddaughter of Florence Dares, wrote this past week on Facebook, “Time and again organizations working on the frontline of the housing crisis have said the solution is safe and AFFORDABLE housing.
In the absence of that, the solutions must be developed WITH those in the most precarious situations, not imposed. We have spent decades “othering” our unhoused neighbours and that has resulted in policies and perspectives that see these REAL HUMAN PEOPLE as a problem to solve, rather than people who are part of our community.
The closure of parks next week without safe housing for the park residents is unfathomable, no matter the reason. Warehousing people is not a long term solution. One of the challenges is the disappearance of affordable apartments. There have always been folks living with very little means – but there were apartments or rooms for rent that allowed them to have a safe space of their own. Those options are virtually non-existent now, and income assistance and disability allowances do not cover nearly enough to keep up with rising costs.
@radicalbuttons has a sticker that reads: “people don’t need to be clean and sober to deserve food, shelter and kindness” and it feels like that is forgotten in many conversations. In our own private spaces we are able to use alcohol + drugs without judgement, we are free to have emotional outbursts, be angry, be messy, be chaotic. Everyone deserves safe spaces to exist.”
So, what does what Kimberley wrote have to do with our reading? Well, I think it has to do with being healed of blindness. Bartimaeus wants to see… and remember that seeing is a metaphor for faith. He wants to have faith. There is an interesting little twist in this story… not only does Bartimaeus want to see, but he wants to see again! In other words, not only does he want to have faith, but he wants to have it again! Apparently, he must have had faith once, but perhaps he had lost it living under the oppression of Roman rule. Lost beneath the struggle of everyday life.
But Jesus hears him, responds to him, and heals him of his blindness. And Bartimaeus casts off his cloak of blindness and follows Jesus. What sort of blindness do we need healing from? In our comfortable middle-class existence, especially if we drive, it’s easy to be blind to many things isn’t it. It’s easy to turn off the news, or shut down the computer, and stay in our own little comfortable bubble… believe me… I know… I like it there… 😊 But that’s not where Jesus is, is it? And that’s not where Jesus calls us to be.
I wondered if Bartimaeus was sorry that he asked Jesus to see. I wondered if now that his eyes were opened and he could see the dirt and the poverty and the cruelty if he would have rather been left blind. Or did he embrace the new opportunities that were open to him because of his sight?
But beyond the story of healing are at least two other stories in this passage. One is a story of recognition, that Bartimaeus, who called out to Jesus, Son of David, knew who Jesus was. He knew that Jesus was the one to set him free from his prison of blindness. And the other story is that Jesus, despite the people trying to silence Bartimaeus, Jesus heard his voice and responded. Do we recognize that Jesus it is to whom we must continually turn? Do we trust that he will hear out cries? Do we embrace what he offers us?
Jesus had such a great understanding of his purpose. He let nothing, or very little, deter him from his purpose… which I have come to understand as proclaiming and professing God’s love for all people and to call God’s people back to what God intended for them.
He was probably not the most comfortable person to be around all the time. For all we have stories of him taking children on his knee and welcoming outcasts, he also had harsh words for those who would prevent others from having a relationship with God. He had a way of questioning and challenging practices that were long held… And it seems apparent that the disciples were often confused and misunderstood him.
This Jesus, in a world that believed that illness and disease were caused by sin, this Jesus, heard the cries of Bartimaeus and healed him. This Jesus shared hospitality with the outcasts. This Jesus invited us to follow him. This is the Jesus I follow.
As a Christian community of faith, we have something unique to offer to each other, this community and the world. Acceptance in a world that says how much money you make is the most important thing… Compassion in a world that is too often cold and heartless…Hope in a world that can seem so bleak… Comfort to the sick…Food for the hungry… Companionship to the lonely….Healing of body, mind and spirit.
Was Bartimaeus sorry he regained his sight? I don’t think so.
Take heart my brothers and sisters in Christ. Take heart, get up, he is calling you.”
Thanks be to God for the challenge and the opportunity of following Jesus, amen.
Mark 10: 46-52
February 25, 2024 – SJ
Rev. Catherine MacDonald
St. James United Church Dartmouth 