Bartimaeus and the Shining Light
In a busy city called Jericho, there lived a man named Bartimaeus. Bartimaeus was blind and could not see the beautiful colors of the sky or the faces of the people around him. He spent his days sitting by the road, listening to the sounds of the bustling crowd and hoping someone would be kind enough to help him.
One day, Bartimaeus heard people talking excitedly. “Jesus is coming! Jesus is coming!” they shouted. Bartimaeus had heard stories about Jesus—how He healed the sick, made the lame walk, and even gave sight to the blind. Bartimaeus felt a spark of hope inside him. Could Jesus heal him too?
As the crowd grew louder, Bartimaeus cried out, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!”
Many people around him told him to be quiet. “Don’t bother Him,” they said, “Jesus is too busy.”
But Bartimaeus didn’t give up. He believed that Jesus could help him. So, he cried even louder, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!”
To everyone’s surprise, Jesus stopped. He turned toward Bartimaeus and said, “Call him.”
The crowd whispered, “Cheer up! He’s calling you!” Bartimaeus quickly got up, his heart filled with excitement, and made his way toward Jesus.
When he reached Jesus, Jesus asked him gently, “What do you want me to do for you?”
Without hesitation, Bartimaeus said, “Rabbi, I want to see.”
Jesus smiled and said, “Go, your faith has healed you.” And immediately, Bartimaeus could see! The bright colors of the world flooded his eyes, and the first face he saw was the kind face of Jesus. Overjoyed, Bartimaeus didn’t just go back to his old life. Instead, he followed Jesus along the road, his heart full of faith and gratitude.
A children’s story based on the 30th Sunday in Ordinary Time: This story highlights the power of faith and how encountering Jesus changed Bartimaeus’ life forever, based on Mark 10:46-52. It shows children the importance of believing and trusting in Jesus, no matter what others might say.