And they came into Jericho.
And when he was leaving Jericho, with his disciples and with a large crowd – Bartimaeus (son of Timaeus) a blind beggar, was sitting beside the road.
And having heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to cry out:
‘Son of David, Jesus, have mercy on me.’
And many sternly ordered him to be silent.
But he shouted even more:
‘Son of David, have mercy on me.’
Jesus stopped and said: ‘Call him.’
and they called the blind man, saying to him
‘Take heart, get up, he is calling you.’
Having thrown off his cloak and jumped up, he came to Jesus.
And Jesus responded to him ‘What do you want me to do for you?’
The blind man said to him: ‘Rabbouni, I want to see again.’
And Jesus said to him:
‘Go, your faith has saved you.’
and immediately he saw again
and he followed him on the road.
O thou, who art the light of the minds that know thee,
the life of the souls that love thee,
and the strength of the wills that serve thee;
help us so to know thee that we may truly love thee;
so to love thee that we may fully serve thee,
whom to serve is perfect freedom.
Amen