Jesus heals the blind man Bartimaeus (Mark 10:46-52)
Jesus heals the blind man Bartimaeus (Mark 10:46-52)
They came to Jericho. And as (Jesus) was leaving Jericho with His disciples and a sizable crowd, Bartimaeus, a blind man, the son of Timaeus, sat by the roadside begging. On hearing that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to cry out and say, “Jesus, son of David, have pity on me.” And many rebuked him, telling him to be silent. But he kept calling out all the more, “Son of David, have pity on me.”
Jesus stopped and said, “Call him.” So they called the blind man, saying to him, “Take courage; get up, He is calling you.” He threw aside his cloak, sprang up, and came to Jesus.
Jesus said to him in reply, “What do you want me to do for you?” The blind man replied to Him, “Master, I want to see.” Jesus told him, “Go your way; your faith has saved you.” Immediately he received his sight and followed Him on the way.
Visio Divina (“divine seeing”) is a practice of examination and praying with sacred art as a tool for growing closer to God and His mysteries. Following the prompts below, note what happens during each step and talk to God about it.
Lectio: Read the image; examine the content and look for details and what stands out to you. Work to understand the meaning or story being told by the image. What does the blind man Bartimaeus represent to you?
Meditatio: Meditate on the image; connect to what you know about the background of the image. Imagine yourself present in the events and consider expressions, colors and symbols. What kinds of blindness exist within you that need to be healed?
Oratio: Pray with the image; Have a conversation with God about what you see in the image and what you think about it. Ask Him to reveal what He wants you to understand through this art. What are some ways in which Jesus is calling you to follow Him?
Contemplatio: Contemplate the image; examine it again and note what God has taught you through your prayer with the art. Ask God what He wants to show you through Bartimaeus’ life and actions. What does He want to show you through the people who rebuked him?
Actio: Ask God how to put your prayer into action. How is He calling you to live out what you’re learned through this experience? In what ways can your faith become more like Bartimaeus?
