One of the great things about the Sacred Scriptures is that we continually find our own experiences there – we can relate – and we can see ourselves in the stories.
In our Gospel reading today, I think we can say that the blind man Bartimaeus was a man reaching for something better for his life. There are times when every one of us wants to do that, or wishes he or she could reach for something better.
When I was about 30 years old, I had a good job, I was married already with two sons, we just bought a new house, went on vacations – in short, life was comfortable. We regularly went to church. I had my own personal spiritual faith formation program for myself. My world pretty much revolved around my immediate family only.
Then one day, I found myself kind of restless, so to speak and I thought – there has to be more to life than this. I found myself in prayer telling God my realization that there has to be more to life than what I had and I asked God for what he really wants me to do with my life… a gutsy question…
Interestingly enough, soon after that - I was invited to a birthday party and a friend I was sitting next to, asked me if I want to go to a retreat – a Cursillo weekend… a weekend of encounter with self, encounter with God and encounter with others. That weekend kind of helped me sort out things I have been pondering about … and gave me a new perspective of what it really means to be fully human, what life is all about, what we are meant to be… how to be fully alive. As St. Irenaeus said: “The glory of God is a person fully alive.”
That Cursillo weekend got me started in my public life, so to speak and took me out of my comfort zone. I started volunteering in the church – in Hospitality, Word and Eucharistic ministries, Religious Education, Confirmation, Faith Formation Programs and various Evangelization Programs in the diocese and even outside the diocese.
I volunteered at a Christian help center sheltering and feeding the homeless.
In fact, one Christmas Eve, I took my two sons with me to the homeless shelter to help prepare dinner for the homeless and our assignment was to peel a big bag of potatoes but that was one of the greatest Christmas gifts I have given my sons… the experience of serving and we had fun… We had Christmas joy… joy of giving.
Then I found myself signing up for lay ministry formation program in the Diocese, was commissioned two years later and then I was invited to discern a vocation to the Diaconate and by the grace of God, I was ordained in 2000 - four years later as a permanent deacon… a life of service… diakonia.
As the late Pope Benedict XVI said: “We were not made for comfort. We were made for greatness.” … and greatness can be found in service… service of God and service of our neighbors.
So, be careful what you pray for… and I am so glad, to say the least that I asked God the question- is there more to life and what He wanted me to do with my life… I can truly honestly say, more than I can say in words, I am so happy and feel so blessed, to say the least. and I know God is not done with me yet… and so I continue to ask God: “Now, what?” “Where do we go from here?”
I was and I am still a very private person, and I never imagined myself doing public speaking and yet, see, - HERE I AM.
So, I invite you, to ask God that same question… from the very depths of your heart: “Lord, what do you want me to do with my life?” and I assure you, you will never regret it.
There are people who might be afraid to ask that question because they know they have to change and change hurts and they do not want to get out of their comfort zone… Some may even think, that it might take the fun out of life if they get any closer to Jesus… which cannot be any farther from the truth.
As the Scripture says: “Eye has not seen, ear has not heard, nor has it entered the human heart what God has prepared for those who love Him.”
We can learn from Bartimaeus… in today’s Gospel reading… In Bartimaeus’ heart was a conviction that he was born to some higher destiny than just to be a blind beggar on the side of the road.
That is what I think we need to wish or pray for - that same sense of sacred discontentment or restlessness…. As St. Augustine said: You created us for yourself, O Lord, and our hearts are restless until they rest in you.
There is so much to be that we have never been. There is so much to do that we have never done. There are friendships to be built, love to be shared, services to be rendered, beauty to be experienced, books to be read, knowledge to be discovered. Regardless of your age, life has only begun. What a tragedy if we should stop and stay and cease to grow when there is so much more beyond us.
In our Gospel reading, when Bartimaeus heard that Jesus was near, he began to shout.
For some reason, the people began to scold Bartimaeus and told him to keep quiet but he shouted all the louder. He held on to his hope, however fragile it might be. If anyone had reason to give up, this man did, but Bartimaeus stands before us as an example of those who refuse to be discouraged.
So, to those of us who labor under burdens that seem too great to bear due to illness, age, poverty or financial concerns, cruelty or injustice, or family or relationship issues, etc. - Bartimaeus is our teacher. He held on to his hope however fragile it might be. He rejected despair as a way of life.Our world needs desperately to hear the Christian message of hope. As St. Pope John Paul II said: “Only in Christ, can humanity find hope.”
Follow Jesus through the pages of the Gospels, and you will find Jesus constantly encouraging people with the vision of a better life. He said to the woman caught in adultery, “Neither do I condemn you; go and sin no more”.
But of course – reality check – Reaching for something better involves an active faith… meaning - It is not going to fall on your lap. In our Gospel reading: “Bartimaeus threw aside his old cloak, sprang up and came to Jesus”… meaning – Bartimaeus did it in active faith – meaning – He gave up his attachment to the things that used to give him security and comfort and in faith, he walked towards Jesus.
Admittedly, at times, we pray and pray and pray and still feel as though God is not listening, but we must remember - we must know that God does hear us and His initial silence - seemingly - is His way of inviting us closer and to a deeper level of faith and prayer... calling us to continue to believe in His great love.
Jesus told Bartimaeus: “Go your way, your faith has saved you”. Immediately, Bartimaeus received his sight and followed Jesus.
Imagine Jesus asking you the same question he asked Bartimaeus – listen with your heart – Jesus is asking you: “What do you want me to do for you? Do not be afraid to tell Him.
We are often cautioned against false hopes; against living in a dream… People say that it is better to face the facts than to be disappointed by false hopes. People say - we all know that the surest way to avoid disappointment is not to hope for anything at all – but that is not good.
But you see - the truth is – God is real - there is a God – God loves us. God is pleased when we come to Him with our every need and that puts an element of hope in every circumstance, whatever it maybe - however dark it might be. If there is a grain of hope anywhere, may we have the grace to find it and hold on to it.
And that grain of hope in even the darkest days is always God… in Jesus… who said: “Behold, I am with you always until the end of the age”
Our Christian faith is not about proof. It is about hope.
God bless…
