Today we head back to the Biblical quadrant as Jude takes on Bartimaeus. Will Bartimaeus' attempt to dethrone Jude prove to be a lost cause? Or will he see his way to victory? These are the questions of the day.
In yesterday's saintly action, James Solomon Russell easily defeated Evelyn Underhill 66% to 34% to advance to the Saintly Sixteen, where he'll face the winner of Harriet Tubman vs. Julie Billiart.
And if for some shocking reason, you missed yesterday's nominally epic episode of Monday Madness with Tim and Scott, you can watch it here. It involves rivers of purple beverages, among other things.
Now go vote!
Jude
Jude is listed as one of the twelve apostles and is purported to be the writer of the epistle that bears his name. Tradition says Jude, along with Simon, traveled to Persia, Arabia, and Mesopotamia. Finally, he went to the city of Edessa to meet with King Abgar. Images of Jude often show him holding the Image of Edessa, a holy square of cloth upon which an image of the face of Jesus appeared. The Image of Edessa is considered the first icon of Christ.
This image came to Edessa when King Abgar wrote to Jesus asking him to come and heal him. Jesus replied, saying he would send one of his disciples. So impressed with the king’s faith, Jesus pressed his face into the cloth and gave it to the messenger to assure the king his disciple would visit. Some accounts say the disciple Jude was chosen to travel to Edessa to deliver the sign from Jesus. King Abgar was healed, and all the people under his rule converted to Christianity in response.
Jude is a disciple plagued with an identity crisis. He is distinguished from Judas Iscariot and also noted as Jude of James in Luke/Acts. He is referred to as the brother of Jesus in Matthew and Mark. In the apostolic lists of Matthew and Mark, no Jude appears, but there is a Thaddeus. Some biblical scholars have suggested Jude and Thaddeus are the same person, and Thaddeus was a nickname. Other scholars disagree, stating that Jude and Thaddeus are different people.
Jude is most commonly known as the patron saint for the hopeless and despaired and the patron saint of lost causes. This patronage inspired comedian Danny Thomas to found St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. Thomas, awaiting the birth of his first child and struggling with his career, went to Mass and placed his last $7 in the offering plate. He offered prayers to Saint Jude to provide a way forward. Thomas recalls getting a job the next week that paid him enough to pay bills for a while. He then promised Saint Jude a shrine. Years later, Thomas kept that promise by founding the American Lebanese Syrian Associated Charities, which serves as the fundraising organization of St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, the shrine Thomas founded in thanksgiving for Saint Jude.
Collect for Jude
O God, we thank you for the glorious company of the apostles, and especially on this day for Jude; and we pray that, as he was faithful and zealous in his mission, so we may with ardent devotion make known the love and mercy of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
Bartimaeus
Bartimaeus, literally “son of Timaeus,” was a blind beggar healed by Jesus in one of his last documented miracles. This miracle is recounted in all three synoptic gospels (Matthew, Mark, and Luke) with Jesus healing the blind man as he and his followers are leaving Jericho, just before the Passion.
Bartimaeus is one of the very few people healed by Jesus whose name appears in the gospels. This could be because Bartimaeus served the church after his healing and became a disciple of Jesus.
Bartimaeus is an example of faith. Total, complete, desperate faith. When Bartimaeus hears that Jesus is around he starts shouting. He shouts: “Jesus, son of David, have mercy on me!” The son of Timaeus is asking the son of David, the Messiah, to have mercy on him. Even after people order Bartimaeus to be quiet, he continues to shout. Even louder. Because he understands who Jesus is. He has heard about him and believes and knows what Jesus has done and can do. Bartimaeus teaches us a prayer for desperate times: Jesus, have mercy on me!
Jesus, Mark tells us, stands still. Luke tells us Jesus stops, and then invites Bartimaeus to approach him. So Bartimaeus throws off his cloak and goes to Jesus—a symbol of giving everything away for a chance to be near Jesus; the action symbolizes his deep faith that he won’t need the cloak anymore. He knows he will be healed.
“What do you want me to do for you?” Jesus asks. “Let me see again. I want to see,” Bartimaeus asks. With these words, he teaches us, believers and followers of Jesus, that we must ask for what we want when Jesus is near.
“Your faith has made you well. Your faith has healed you.” Bartimaeus’s faith stops Jesus, moves Jesus, and inspires Jesus to heal him.
According to Mark, after being healed, Bartimaeus follows Jesus on the Way.
Collect for Bartimaeus
Almighty God, you have surrounded us with a great cloud of witnesses: Grant that we, encouraged by the good example of your servant Bartimaeus, may persevere in running the race that is set before us, until at last we may with him attain to your eternal joy; through Jesus Christ, the pioneer and perfecter of our faith, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
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138 comments on “Jude vs. Bartimaeus”
Any apostle who inspired Danny Thomas to found St. Jude's Hospital gets my vote today. So much good work and healing gets done there.
I couldn't help thinking about St. Jude's at Ocean View, Hawaii. They are the essence of doing for and with the ones in need. You don't have to take my word for it. Look up their web site and see how the gospel works at St. Jude's.
Seems like this is a contest between inner faith and outer-directed faith. Just sayin’.
I suppose I love nothing more than preaching about the Bartimaeus story in Mark. The important themes that speak to me are: (1) Jesus is willing to be interrupted. He has an agenda. He is on his way someway. So his disciples try to tell Bartimaeus to leave him alone. He's busy. And yet Jesus dismisses his disciples and sees Bartimaeus. In a world where we establish our agenda and schedules and calendars, it is a good reminder that we should be open to being interrupted. It may be the most important thing we do that day. (2) Jesus lets Bartimaeus define his own needs. Jesus has a reputation for healing. He could easily have restored Bartimaeus' sight and gone on his way. Instead he takes the time to ask Bartimaeus, and let Bartimaeus define his needs. A good reminder for all us dealing with people who come to us in need. And (3) I have often changed prepositions from "what do you want me to do for you" to "to do with you." Much of my ministry has been in global partnerships, and engaging with our partners rather than for our partners matters a great deal to me. Anyway, I have always liked lost causes, but Bartimaeus had to get my vote.
Jude for me, in honor of my Roman Catholic grandmother Germaine, who loved the church with all her heart, and for whom Jude was a particular favorite, as evidenced by the glow-in-the-dark statuette of Jude that she kept on her dresser.
And also for all of the saints of the world who serve the community dutifully and quietly. We need those whose faith is quiet and persistent as much as those who speak up and share it boldly, but it is often the former (like my grandmother) whose contributions go unnoticed.
St. Celia. . . your thoughts tipped my scale. How very convincing and timely on several levels! Bartimaeus gives me much to think on, as well, so there can be no losers in today's match-up. The SEC has done it again!
As Vicar of St. Jude’s in North Pole Alaska there was clearly only one possible vote.
When they were about 10, my son Hailu and a group of his friends held a fundraiser for St. Jude's hospitals. I was quite proud.
It’s a tossup, but Jude gets our vote today!
Another toughie. I must confess that I'm somewhat taken aback by the many references to the Beatles and to Danny Thomas, both worthy in their own way, but not exactly relevant in this contest. I struggled, because both Jude and Bartimaeus represent for me some ideal of Christian discipleship. In the end, I voted for Bartimaeus because I can identify more closely with him than I can with St. Jude (let's face it, as his brother Jude grew up knowing who and what Jesus was, so no leaps of faith required for him, no stepping out in faith). I'd like to thank Leon Spencer for his insightful comment, which helped me to make my decision, and also Frank Hubbard, for his explanation of what it actually meant for Bartimaeus to throw off his cloak on that day, which made my choice easier.
Bartimaeus, in gratitude for the Jesus Prayer.
Jude. Because this: https://youtu.be/YHAhWXVAelI
(And it's musical!)
Seriously though, while I was tempted to vote for Jude just because of that video (it's in my top 5 of the Bible book videos His Place Community Church did for their Route 66 series —I just came across it as a church secretary, I've never been there), I was really torn between the two...
But where Jude got me was as the patron saint of lost causes... that resonates with me. Deeply.
LA,
Thanks for sharing the video. I'm still chuckling. But I'm still not quite sure for whom to vote.
I think I'll look at who's ahead and vote for the underdog--undersaint, I should say.
That's an awesome video. Thanks for sharing.
I voted for Bartimaeus, because his story was the first text I ever preached on. The story has stayed with ever since (almost 40 years) a great example of a life being turned around through Jesus' ministry.
What a pairing - how can we be expected to decide between two such wonderful saints. In the end I voted for Bartimaeus because of all the times I have had nothing left to offer but the Jesus prayer.
Why do I always feel guilty about choosing one saint over another when I vote? Will I be struck by lightening?
they both have a place in my life as Hosp. Chaplain all three ever day. Father Son Holy Spirit & all saints Lord have mercy,Thank you for all your Love.
I have been completely blind in one eye since for about 55 years now and Bartimaeus has always been close to my heart, so my vote is for the miracle of healed sight! 🙂
My husband's middle name is Jude.
We have a statue of St. Jude next to our patio.
My husband has an artificial heart valve manufactured by St. Jude.
No lost cause or despair here.
To me, Bartimaeus represents being blessed by the Lord, realizing his blessing came from Lord, and therefore follows the Lord. We could use a little more of that in this world.
I voted for Timeus's son, Bartimeus. Had I voted for the other candidate, I would not have been certain whether I had voted for Jude, or Thaddeus, or Judas, or Jude of James, or Danny Thomas, or King Abgar, or the city of Edessa!
I voted for Jude because his miracles have resulted in amazing events even in the 20th century. And because a friend, a young man named Jude has cystic fibrosis and needs prayers and miracles NOW
I liked Bartimaeus‘s story better but that’s my opinion
I think it was a good story.
I voted for Jude because my husband & I support St. Jude Children's Research Hospital. Being cancer free since May 2017, it breaks my heart to think of any child having cancer. God bless everyone who works at St. Jude.
One of my aunts, who was also my godmother, was very devoted to St. Jude, the patron of hopeless causes. It took me some years to figure out that my mentally ill mother was the hopeless cause for which she was praying. So even though the personas and names may have some confusion, I had to go with St. Jude today.
As a visually challenged person, given much more normal sight by the invention of the corneal contact lens, I have always identified with Blind Bart. It is my privilege to vote for him, his faith, and Jesus' love made manifest in healing him.
My vote is in honor of St. Simon & St. Jude Episcopal Church in Irmo, South Carolina!
We are voting for Jude in honor of our 10 year old cousin Amris who is a patient at ST. Jude hospital. (She’s the cutie in the Easter donation letter if anyone is on their mailing list.)
Voting for Jude as the go-to guy in desperate times like those we’re in with corona virus and current White House occupant
Jude. In honor of St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. Also patron saint of lost causes.