October 28, 2012: 30th Sunday in Ordinary Time

 

As Jesus was leaving Jericho with his disciples and a sizable crowd, Bartimaeus, a blind man, the son of Timaeus, sat by the roadside begging.
On hearing that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to cry out and say, “Jesus, son of David, have pity on me.” And many rebuked him, telling him to be silent. But he kept calling out all the more, “Son of David, have pity on me.”
Jesus stopped and said, “Call him.”
So they called the blind man, saying to him, “Take courage; get up, Jesus is calling you.” He threw aside his cloak, sprang up, and came to Jesus.
Jesus said to him in reply, “What do you want me to do for you?” The blind man replied to him, “Master, I want to see.”
Jesus told him, “Go your way; your faith has saved you.”
Immediately he received his sight and followed him on the way, some on his left. (Mark 10:46-52)

Do your parents sometimes tell you to be more quiet, not to be so loud, not to disturb other people?
Bartimaeus certainly did not feel that he should be quiet, and when people told him not to talk so loud, he just cried out louder and louder. But Jesus apparently was not annoyed with Bartimaeus because he asked the people around him to bring him to him and then asked, “What do you want me to do for you?” And he
was very direct with Jesus, saying “I want to see.” And when Jesus cured him, he did not say to him, “I am doing this because you asked me.” He told him that he cured him because of his faith.

Action:

Take some time today or tonight–maybe just before you go to sleep–thinking about how you can best talk with Jesus–and what you might best talk to him about. If you remember what Jesus said to Bartimaeus, think about what he might say to you, when you ask him for a favor, when you ask him to give you something you want very badly.
Remember that Jesus told Bartimaeus that he did not answer his request because he asked him to–but “because of his faith.”
Would Jesus find that kind of faith in you too?