‘So they called to the blind man, “Cheer up! On your feet! He’s calling you.” Throwing his cloak aside, he jumped to his feet and came to Jesus.’
It may be a coincidence, but blind Bartimaeus seems to be rehearsing the Hosanna march that immediately follows. He is along the roadside, shouting. He declares who Jesus is, calling him the Son of David. He jumps to his feet. He takes off his garment. This is a to-do-list for those at Jesus’s triumphal entry.
The difference is that Bartimaeus is willing to do it all on his own. Some of the rest of us require a crowd – well, if everyone else is doing it, I guess I will, too. May I be the follower who is blind – blind to what others may do or not do – but with eyes open to the presence of Jesus.
Gospel of Mark: Off the Beaten Path 