Blind Bartimaeus.  A blind man sitting beside the gate of the city begging.  He heard that Jesus was coming and he called out.  Those around him were annoyed by the spectacle he was causing and told him to shut up.  But Jesus heard Bartimaeus and called him over.  He asked Bartimaeus what he wanted, and Bartimaeus said he wanted his sight back.  Jesus, said, “Go; your faith has made you well.”  Bartimaeus regained his sight and followed Jesus.
 
Is this just a story about the miracle power of Jesus to heal a blind man?  I don’t think so … I think it is much more than that.  As far as I’m concerned, maybe the story literally happened or maybe it didn’t.  That isn’t the point for me.  The author of Mark’s gospel chose to include this story as he wrote about Jesus at least a generation after Jesus died, and I don’t think it was to just show that Jesus had some miraculous power to heal people.  This is about someone who had lost their vision and then regained it … and then he followed Jesus.  Bartimaeus was now taking seriously what Jesus took seriously.  For me this story is about having a vision … not just eyesight, but vision … and about what happens if vision is lost, and what can happen if vision is regained.  This is about one’s own vision, a vision shared by a family, and a vision shared by a community such as St. Cyprian’s.  And to empower any vision one needs resources.  This story is also a story about the currency of God and the currency of the world.

For the past few weeks we have been listening to readings from the Book of Job as our first lesson, and we will hear another reading from Job next week.  This is a strange story that has three main characters: God, Satan, and Job, along with a few minor characters to move the story along.  It is a story of what happens to one’s faith when all the personal trappings of wealth, status, and even family are stripped away.  Instead of being judged by human terms of power and politics, Job is eventually judged by his unwavering faith in God in spite of all the woes that God has allowed Satan to throw at him.

How would you respond to the mandate to sell everything that you own in exchange for “eternal life” … whatever that is?  For that matter, what is your most prized possession?  Do you own it or does it own you?  With everything that you have, what is missing in your life that might make your life feel complete?

This week we begin a four week series of readings from the Book of Job.  Remember, Job is a man who has everything … wealth, power, health, family … and lost it all in a bet between God and Satan.  But this morning is about Nathan’s baptism … so I guess I won’t talk about Job this week.
 
Then our reading from the Gospel of Mark begins with “Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife?”  But this morning is about Nathan’s baptism … so I guess I won’t be talking about divorce this week.
 
However, lo and behold, Mark’s Gospel also contains the story of Jesus picking up children, laying his hands on them, and blessing them.  YES!  Something I can hang my hat on.  This morning is about Nathan’s baptism.  What better than to hear about Jesus blessing children!