Thirtieth Sunday, Ordinary Time, October 27, 2024
From the Deacon’s Desk Reflection on Today’s Gospel Reading
Christ’s question to the blind man seems out of place. “What do you want me to do for you?” he queries. What else? Cure him of his blindness, of course! And yet, he lets Bartimaeus ask. He respects the man’s freedom and evokes an explicit act of faith. Bartimaeus must have been breathless with excitement and exertion. He must have been disoriented even more than usual after being led about quickly by the disciples who brought him to Jesus. He couldn’t see the warmth and gentleness and sincerity of Christ’s eyes, so the Lord chose to communicate those things with his voice. The question he asked and the way he asked it stripped away all nervousness, fear, and hesitation. Somehow, Bartimaeus knew immediately that Jesus cared, that Jesus wanted to listen, to help. The brief exchange draws these two hearts together: the beggar is freed from any possible inhibitions and given a chance to bare his deepest longings to the Lord. And the Lord welcomes them, takes them into his own soul, and grants them. It is a prototype for all prayer, which God wants to be eminently personal and sincere. He is our God, and yet he wants to be our ally, our friend, and our confidant. Will we let him?