Reflection on the 30th Sunday in Ordinary Time [October 28, 2018] Mark 10:46-52

“Jesus, son of David, have mercy on me.” (Mk. 10:47)

I made my religious vow more than eight years ago with 12 other Dominican brothers. One of the most touching moments within this rite of the religious profession was when Fr. Provincial asked us, “What do you seek?” and we all prostrated, kiss the ground, and declared, “God’s mercy and yours!” After a brief moment, Fr. Provincial asked us to stand, and we began professing our vows before him.  As I recall this defining moment in my life, I am pondering in my heart, “Why it has to be mercy?” Why do we not choose other Christian virtues? Why not fortitude, one of the cardinal virtues in the Christian tradition? Why not love, the greatest of all virtues?

However, religious profession is not an isolated case. If we observe our celebration of the Holy Eucharist, the rite is filled with our pleading for mercy. At the beginning of the Mass, after recalling our sins, we say, “Lord, have mercy” three times. In the Eucharistic prayer, we once again beg mercy that we may be coheirs of eternal life. And, before we receive the Holy Communion, we pray to the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world, that He may have mercy on us. Not only in the Eucharist, but an appeal for mercy is also found in the other sacraments and devotions. In the sacrament of confession, the formula of absolution begins with addressing God as the Father of Mercy. In every litany to the saints, it always commences with the plead of mercy to the Holy Trinity. Again, the question is why does it have to be mercy?

We may see the glimpse of the answer in our Gospel today. Jesus is leaving Jericho and making his final journey to Jerusalem. Then, suddenly Bartimaeus, a blind beggar, shouts to the top of his lungs, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” He was so persistent that after being rebuked by others, he shouts even louder. Upon hearing the plea of mercy, Jesus who has set his sight on Jerusalem decides to stop. Jesus simply cannot be deaf to Bartimaeus’ appeal. He cannot just ignore mercy. Yet, this is not the only episode where Jesus changes His initial plans and listens to the request for mercy. He cleanses a leper because of mercy (Mrk 1:41). Moved by mercy, He feeds the five thousand and more people (Mrk 6:30). If there is anything that can change the mind and heart of Jesus, the mind and heart of God, it is mercy.

Pope Francis echoes his predecessors, St. Pope John Paul II, and Pope Benedict XVI, saying that the first and essential attribute of God is mercy. Indeed, God as being merciful is discovered in many places in the Bible (see Exo 34:6,7; Dt 4:31; Ps 62:12, etc.). That is why the name of God is mercy. It is our faith that proclaims that God cannot but be merciful. He is God who goes as far as to become human and die on the cross to embrace the wretched sinners like us.

However, what makes Bartimaeus unique is that he was the first in the Gospel of Mark to verbalize the plead for mercy to Jesus. Following the example of Bartimaeus, the Church has continued to become the beggar of God’s mercy. Like Bartimaeus, we verbalize our need for God’s mercy in our worship, our prayers, and our life. We ask mercy when life become tough and unforgiving. We cry “Mercy!” when we are tempted, we fail to please God, or so much harm has been done to ourselves and other people.  Every night before I close my eyes, I recite “Lord, have mercy!” several times, hoping that this will be a habit and my last words when I meet my Creator. We plead for mercy when knowing that we are not worthy of God, we are confident that God will change “His mind” and embrace us once again.

Br. Valentinus Bayuhadi Ruseno, OP