Our readings this week are Hebrews 7:23-28 and Mark 10:46-52. Once again, we are presented with the deeply theological language of Hebrews, alongside a more human and relatable story of encounter in the gospel. Together, though, I believe they pose important questions about our relationship with God—specifically, what might be standing in the way of that relationship.

Let’s begin with the gospel reading. Here, we meet Bartimaeus, a man of extraordinary determination. He is a blind beggar, a condition that we know carried a certain stigma. In another gospel passage, for example, the disciples ask Jesus, “Who sinned that this man was born blind?” (John 9). That he’s known to us as ‘Bartimaeus’, which literally means – as the text points out – ‘Son of Timeaus’ could be read as an indication of his disconnection from the community around him. Certainly, when he tries to get Jesus’ attention, those around him don’t consider him worthy of it. "Many sternly ordered him to be quiet," the text says. Bartimaeus, it seems, is not only blind but also invisible. I wonder if you’ve ever felt that way?

But Bartimaeus refuses to be seen that way. He cries out even louder. Then, for him, the first miracle happens: Jesus stops. Jesus hears Bartimaeus and knows what everyone else seems to have forgotten—that Bartimaeus is a child of God, infinitely valued and loved. Jesus calls for him to be brought forward. You can almost hear the ripples of surprise passing through the crowd as they are caught up in Jesus’ compassion towards this man, ‘And they called the blind man, saying to him, ‘Take heart; get up, he is calling you.’

Bartimaeus doesn’t hesitate. He throws off his cloak and springs up to meet Jesus. His determination is replaced with enthusiasm. Perhaps for this moment at least it is fortunate that he was blind, for certainly every eye was on him, and he didn’t need to be daunted, he needed all the courage he had as Jesus asked him what he wanted… dare he reply? Dare he speak his deepest desire direct to God, with an audience of hundreds? Would you? ‘My teacher,’ he says, ‘let me see again.’ Jesus responds, ‘Go; your faith has made you well.’ From that moment, Bartimaeus becomes a follower of Jesus, walking ‘in the Way’.

This was not an easy journey for Bartimaeus. To reach this moment of healing and restoration, Bartimaeus had to overcome several barriers. First, he had to find the courage to call out in need. Then, he had to push past the crowd's indifference—and at times, their outright opposition. Finally, he had to grasp the moment when it came, speaking his deepest desire directly to God. And when he did, he discovered a God who valued him, heard him, and accepted him as he was – not in a place of strength, but in one of weakness – and worked in him a miracle of transformation to release the person he was created to be.

Bartimaeus is an inspiration—and an invitation to reflect. What are the ‘crowds’ in our lives, the external forces that hold us back? What are the fears and needs within us that we struggle to admit? Are we brave enough to let Jesus work in us, to transform us into the people he creates us to be?

The Hebrews reading might seem different at first, but it actually carries a similar message. Here, the author is talking about overcoming the barriers between us and God. In Jewish tradition, the high priest had to offer sacrifices repeatedly to atone for the sins of the people—overcoming, again and again, the barriers they erected between themselves and God by the way they lived. Jesus, though, did things differently. He offered his own life, once and for all his own life – as a sacrificie, yes, but also as an example. He lived out a perfect companionship with God, and shows us how that can benefit not only the individual but everyone with whom they come into contact. Therefore, because of what he has done, the ongoing need to ‘make things right’ has been exposed as both exhausting and exhausted; and in its place we find the simple freedom of a God who has already reached out to us, arms wide open, waiting for us to respond.

Bartimaeus discovered that the barriers he thought stood between him and God didn’t really exist. The writer of Hebrews is making the same point—Jesus has already done the hard work of opening the way to God. All that remains is for us to find the courage to step forward.

So, if there’s something standing in the way of you accepting that invitation—to be known, loved, and restored in the love of God—whether it’s fear, doubt, or external pressures, maybe it’s time to bring them into the light. Throw them off, like Bartimaeus threw off his cloak, and spring up to meet Jesus.

And as you do, take a look around. Is there someone else who needs your encouragement, your support, to do the same? And perhaps a more challenging question, are you doing anything, even unintentionally, that might be holding them back?