Today’s Gospel lays out a stark contrast in two observations Jesus makes, and both are about façades and his knowing what lies beneath a person’s exterior – the face they show to the world.

On the one hand, we see the scribes, the keepers of the law, who have a high position in society.  Then, as now, with high position comes great temptation for a hardening of the spirit, learning to love the trappings of position, and inwardly scheming for personal gain regardless of the cost to others. That’s the truth.

Surely that issue of power and position doesn’t apply directly to us! Let’s see…long robes. Check. Like to be greeted with respect. Check. Best seats in church. Check. Kind of like the choir? Or me? Deacon John?

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I only ever got to do this one time. About the same time Good Shepherd began its relationship with El Buen Pastor in Honduras 13 or 14 years ago, the parish I served began having mission trips to a school in Tegucigalpa called El Hogar which serves orphans and children from the worst poverty.

El Hogar has three campuses: an elementary school where we stayed and spent most of our time, an agricultural school where 7th to 9th graders learn contemporary farming, animal husbandry and how to farm-raise tilapia, and a technical school where they learn electrical work, carpentry, machine work (making tools and parts) and automotive repair.

The technical school was led by a guy named Lazaro, which is the Spanish version of Lazarus. So when we got there and I saw him for the first time walking towards us but at a distance, I cried out in Spanish, “Lazaro, come out!” He lit up with a big smile and we became instant friends. I saw him and his sons many times in the ensuing years.

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Today’s gospel brings us to Jericho. It’s one of the oldest cities in the world, and it’s also the lowest city in the world, 900 feet below sea level. It’s also along one of the oldest trade routes in the world, connecting Africa to Europe and Asia.

We join Bartimaeus, whose name means “one of the esteemed or honored”. Let’s step into his place on the road out of Jericho heading toward Jerusalem. Although it’s a bright sunny day, it’s completely dark for you because you are blind in a place and time where begging is the way you can survive. You have a cloak. At night it keeps the chill off of you. But the days are hot and dusty.  Your cloak is there to catch the coins people may give you out of mercy. At least your condition is one that does inspire mercy.

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