Readings for the 30th Sunday in Ordinary Time:
Jeremiah 31:7-9
Psalm 126:1-2, 2-3, 4-5, 6
Hebrews 5:1-6
Mark 10:46-52
Like so much of the gospels, Jesus’s encounter with a blind beggar this Sunday boils down to one simple question: “What do you want me to do for you?”
If we met Jesus along the road, would we be able to answer? What would we say?
For so many of us, faith boils down to things that are difficult to pinpoint. We turn to the Lord for peace, or reassurance or maybe to pray for some vague intention – health or prosperity or a better job. Often, our prayers are simply for things to be better and for our lives to be less complicated.
But here, the blind man named Bartimaeus, knew exactly what he wanted: “Master, I want to see.”
In that one short sentence lie all the hopes and yearnings of a lifetime – and, in a sense, all our own aspirations, as well.
Whether we realize it or not – whether we can name them or not – so much of what we want God to do for us is similar to what Bartimaeus was asking. We want to see. We want clarity. We want understanding. We want light to scatter what is cloudy and uncertain.
We want the Lord to help us follow the right path, to see the right direction for our lives, and to guide us to do his will. And we want to see, perhaps more urgently, just what that will might be.
In this way, we are all Bartimaeus, helplessly lost in the shadows and calling out to God to show us the way. Bartimaeus, of course, had the immeasurable good fortune of encountering on the roadside near Jericho the one who is The Way – and The Truth and The Life.
And once he realized who was passing by, he was relentless. At least twice, he cried out the same plea: “Son of David, have pity on me.” Despite being rebuked, he would not be silent. He didn’t, couldn’t give up.
For that, and for knowing exactly what he needed, his faith was rewarded. “Your faith has saved you,” Jesus said. Here, too, is another valuable lesson.
Bartimaeus was healed because he knew what he wanted and he wasn’t afraid to keep asking for it – no matter what those around him said. He was fearless. And he was certain that the one he cried out to would not only hear him, but heal him.
That, in a nutshell, is faith.
Examining our own faith, are we that certain, that bold, that humble, that persistent? It is tempting sometimes to give up when we think God doesn’t answer our prayers. We can feel helpless or hopeless, ignored or forgotten. But the words of the psalm, the pleas of a grateful people, should offer reassurance in times of despair: “Restore our fortunes, O Lord…those that sow in tears shall reap rejoicing.”
Again and again, scripture calls on us to trust in God’s limitless love and generosity, and to be grateful for all he gives to those who have the confidence and courage to trust. This is the true measure of faith. The familiar words from St. Paul, captured in a popular hymn, tells us all we need to know: “We walk by faith, not by sight.” That was true of Bartimaeus, who was rewarded for his faith by receiving sight.
Are we courageous enough, confident enough, to trust like that?
It’s important to note, finally, how the story of Bartimaeus ends. The beggar who was given sight didn’t just head home – maybe to enjoy looking at all that he had never been able to see – but, instead, made another choice. Mark tells us: “He received his sight and followed him on the way.” A new disciple was born.
May we all give thanks to the Lord for all he does for us, and resolve in our gratitude to follow him wherever he leads.
Deacon Greg Kandra is an award-winning author and journalist, and creator of the blog “The Deacon’s Bench.”
