"What do you want me to do for you?"

30th Sunday in Ordinary Time

In the first reading this week, the Prophet Jeremiah speaks of God healing the rifts and hurts of his people Israel who were sent into exile, saying "Behold, I will bring them back from the land of the north; I will gather them from the ends of the world." Jeremiah mentions that not only the most capable, but even the blind and the lame will be among them. God is showing that he cares for all of his people and wishes to restore them to life!

Then, in the Gospel, we have a very real example of this. As Jesus is leaving Jericho there is a blind man named Bartimaeus who begins to call out to him, saying "Jesus, son of David, have pity on me." The people around Bartimaeus were hushing him, telling him to be quiet, and insinuating "there is no way that this man of God will have time or care for you." And yet, Jesus stopped and called Bartimaeus to himself, asking: "What do you want me to do for you?" Bartimaeus, perhaps obviously, says, "Master, I want to see." At once, Jesus tells him, "Go your way; your faith has saved you." And then we are told "Immediately he received his sight and followed him on the way."

Interestingly, Jesus twice appeals to this man's freedom. First, in asking Bartimaeus what he wants done, Jesus is allowing him to choose to receive his sight. Then, when healing the man, Jesus tells him he can go his own way. And, significantly, the story ends saying that Bartimaeus decides to follow Jesus on the way. So, it would seem that Jesus is not only healing the man's physical blindness, but healing and restoring him spiritually as well, for Bartimaeus' chooses for his way to be the same as Jesus' way.

God wishes to heal and restore us as well, to help us to be the men and women we were created and destined to be. However, God never imposes himself, but allows us our freedom. As we reflect on the readings this week, let us pray that we may have the courage to ask God for the healing we need and then have the strength to, like Bartimaeus, allow Jesus' way to become our own way too.

Want to prepare your heart and mind for Sunday's Mass? Click here to find the readings.