Have pity on me Lord

Gospel

Luke 18:35-43

'Son of David, have pity on me'

As Jesus drew near to Jericho there was a blind man sitting at the side of the road begging. When he heard the crowd going past he asked what it was all about, and they told him that Jesus the Nazarene was passing by. So he called out, ‘Jesus, Son of David, have pity on me.’ The people in front scolded him and told him to keep quiet, but he shouted all the louder, ‘Son of David, have pity on me.’ Jesus stopped and ordered them to bring the man to him, and when he came up, asked him, ‘What do you want me to do for you?’ ‘Sir,’ he replied ‘let me see again.’ Jesus said to him, ‘Receive your sight. Your faith has saved you.’ And instantly his sight returned and he followed him praising God, and all the people who saw it gave praise to God for what had happened.

Short Reflection

This powerful story is about much more than a physical healing. The blind man, Bartimaeus (as named in Mark's Gospel), is a model of persistent and audacious faith. While physically blind, he sees spiritually what the crowd misses: Jesus is the long-awaited Messiah, the "Son of David." Despite being told to be quiet, he refuses to let the world's disapproval silence his need for God. His plea, "have pity on me," is a raw, honest prayer from a place of deep need.

When Jesus asks, "What do you want me to do for you?" He invites the man to name his deepest desire. The man's simple, direct request—"Let me see again"—is met with immediate grace, and his faith is credited as the channel for his salvation. The story doesn't end with the healing; it ends with the man becoming a disciple, "following him and praising God." True encounter with Christ transforms us from passive beggars on the roadside into active followers on the Way.

Question for Reflection

What is the "spiritual blindness" in my own life that I need to bring to Jesus, and what voices or fears am I allowing to tell me to "keep quiet" instead of crying out to Him in persistent faith?

Short Prayer

Lord Jesus, Son of David, have pity on me. Heal my spiritual blindness and grant me the clarity to see your presence in my life. Give me the courage of the blind man to call out to you persistently, trusting that you hear me. May my own healing lead me to follow you more closely and to praise God always. Amen.

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