SUNDAY OCTOBER 27, 2024
SUNDAY OF THE THIRTIETH WEEK OF THE ORDINARY TIME B
Jeremiah 31:7-9
Hebrew 5:1-6
Mark 10:46-52
“WHAT DO YOU WANT ME TO DO FOR YOU?”
This question sounds like open cheque that Jesus offered to the blind Bartimaeus. This same question is being directed to each of us each day as we encounter Jesus and come calling on him. We are not different from this blind Bartimaeus because we are in despicable situations too, just like Bartimaeus was. We are in want, we are limited, we are battled my physical needs, health needs, many deprivations and above all we are beset with much fears, anxieties and worries.
Our faith commitment is an expression of our need of Jesus and our God. We come always to the Church at least every Sunday to submit ourselves, our wills and our aspirations to the ruler of the universe. But the Blind Bartimaeus teaches us today the power of prayer, the need to be dogged, focused and determined. For when he heard that Jesus was passing, he kept calling, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” Even against the crowd that wanted to silence him, he was never deterred but shouted all the more, “Son of David, have mercy on me!”
And the Jesus saw his determination his doggedness and his unweaving faith and requested the same crowd to allow him come to him. And Jesus stopped and said, “Call him.”
Jesus cares, takes initiatives to address our predicaments, because he knows our difficulties and worries.
And the prophet Jeremiah informs us in the first reading that Jesus is always waiting for us. He came for us, he lived for us, he died for us and he resurrected for us. To give us life, well-being and happiness. That is what he promises through the Prophet Jeremiah in today’s reading. He wants to build us up, to bless us, to keep us in his love and to heal our infirmities and bring us happiness.
And the letter to the Hebrews continues to admonish us that Christ did not exalt himself to be made a high priest , but was appointed by him who said to him, “you are my son, today I have begotten you”. His coming is to get us back to God and to make us happy always.
Knowing all this, it was an opportunity for Bartimaeus to have heard about Jesus coming and he ran after him calling and shouting on top of his voice. “Jesus Son of David, have mercy on me.” It calls us to examine ourselves and see how much really we call on him. How well do we recognize Jesus as our last resort, our only hope and our last hope in life.
If we do make him and take him rather as our only hope in life then we will be enthusiastic to understand his ways and keep calling him in moments of troubles, difficulties and unpleasant situations.
And when Jesus answers us, how enthusiastic are you? When you see the glimpse of hope, how do you react? Bartimaeus reacted with excitement and forgetting the past, dropping the cloak of sorrow and sadness, we approached Jesus. Here therefore is the excitement and joy in this man Bartimaeus. ”And throwing off his cloak he sprang up and came to Jesus. Excitement is a word we can use to describe his response to the invitation of Jesus but it is much more than that.
But Jesus will always question our motive for following, for shouting and calling on him with the same exact question he asked Bartimaeus. WHAT DO YOU WANT ME TO DO FOR YOU?
And as it is today, what answer will you give to Jesus as he confronts us with this question. Bartimaeus made a remarkable request when he says, “master, let me receive my sight.” Many commentators have opined that physical blindness is a great deprivation. It keeps one stunted, it makes all the other faculties in man latent and sick. Blindness reduced man’s potentials and enhances the deprivation of man. He made Bartimaeus a dependent, a beggar and an unhappy person in life. Bartimaeus could not fulfill his potentials, he could not exercise his life mandate. He could not excel in life.
What keeps us stunted, unhappy and never able to reach our potentials in life is a great deprivation. When we lack insight, knowledge, wisdom become dependent, and live as invalids, we become slave to ourself. Then we need to cease the opportunity of every day blank cheque that Jesus offers us to pray, work and make request of what will enhance our lives,, enliven our well-being and stabilize us in the way of progress and fulfillment in life.
Never allow these times to pass you by. Use the opportunity well as you encounter Jesus in each Eucharistic mystery even today. Understand too that Bartimaeus exercised great faith in making his request and this is confirmed by the words of Jesus. And Jesus tells him, “Go your way; your faith has saved you.” Such sincere practical faith is demanded by Jesus to help us receive our quest.
Such faith leaves us to cling to Jesus, to hold onto him, and to devote ourselves to him. Such blank Cheque leaves us to follow him more closely. For having been healed, given sight, Bartimaeus followed Jesus wherever he went. This is the main point. Our healing does not allow us to depart but to follow. And recall that Bartimaeus has removed the cloak of sorrow, the cloak of begging, the cloak of deprivation and entered the joy and happiness of a regenerated person. That is the salvation of our body and soul.
Heavenly Father, may our calling into the Christian life, elevate us from life of sorrow into life of joy, peace, progress and happiness. As we follow you as Bartimaeus did, may our lives be secured, and reach our potentials through Christ Jesus our Lord.
Fr Norbert Uchuno
