This material was first published by Redemptorist Publications
and is included here with their permission.

Mark 10:46b-52

Let me see again

Last week Jesus couldn’t do for James and John what they asked of him. He couldn’t give them guarantees about their future and he gave all the disciples a lesson on the nature of God’s greatness.

This week we again hear Jesus asking “What do you want me to do for you”. This time he’s asking blind Bartimaeus who has been creating a huge commotion by the roadside calling for Jesus to have mercy on him.

It may seem obvious to us that Bartimaeus wants his sight restored but Jesus makes no such assumptions. “What do you want me to do for you?”.

When Bartimaeus asks for his sight to be restored he is asking for more than that. He is asking to be restored to his rightful place in society, able to work and no longer having to beg. He wants to resume his responsibilities and leave behind his dependence on others.

He is asking for his life to be restored along with his sight and Jesus is glad to do that for him.

Each of us can hear Jesus say, “What do you want me to do for you?”. We might make assumptions about how we would answer but it may be worth spending time listening to the voice of God within us telling us what it is we really need, what it is we really want Jesus to do for us. We may be in for a surprise.

Prayer
Lord Jesus, you restored sight to Bartimaeus and freed him from the constraints of blindness. Show us the constraints in our lives which keep us from being the people you meant us to be. Free us to follow you and to love and serve others in your name. Amen.