In today’s Gospel, St Mark describes a pair of beautiful eyes, the eyes of “the blind man who sits begging by the roadside”. Physically, these beautiful eyes cannot see the world around them, but in faith they have been enlightened to recognize and experience the presence of Jesus, the Son of King David, the Merciful One for whom he had been waiting all along his journey of faith.

In the light of faith, this beggar understood that he could do nothing by the power of his own strength. So when he heard that Jesus of Nazareth was passing by where he was sitting begging, he cried out with all his trust and confidence in him: “Son of David, have mercy on me!” and although he was blind and had difficulty walking, he quickly responded to the Saviour’s call, knowing that only Jesus could free him from the darkness of blindness. With this strong faith, not only were his physical eyes healed, but at the same time his spiritual eyes were enlightened so that he could see the eternal light of truth. After being enlightened, Bartimaeus could not only see people, trees, and everything, but more: through the things before his eyes, he saw the mystery of God, who always leads those who have good intentions to follow Him and become His disciples. Bartimaeus discovers a new meaning to his life and a new future.

Therefore, through the story of the blind Bartimaeus, St Mark wants to invite us to always live humbly under the light of Christ. Because only his light can help us to escape from the darkness of sin and, above all, from that which prevents us from approaching Christ, who is always ready to welcome and heal our bodies wounded by sin.