what do we ask from Jesus - 30th sunday B

Bar Timaeus.  This is the name of the blind man healed by Jesus.  Jesus has performed a lot of miracles - a deaf-mute, another blind man, a lame man, as well as the demon-possessed, but none of them has been mentioned by name.  Except one - Bartimaeus.  Perhaps because he was an exemplary disciple.  Why?  Most probably because he knew how to ask the right things from Jesus and he only asked for two things.

First, Bartimaeus called out to Jesus saying, Jesus, son of David, have mercy on me.  Have mercy in Greek is Eleison the same word we used in the Mass – Kyrie Eleison – Lord, have mercy.  

Eleison comes from the Greek root word which means olive oil.  In the past olive oil was not just a condiment but it was also poured over wounds and bruises, gently massaged in, thus soothing the wound, comforting the person in his pain, bringing about healing, making the injured part whole again.  This is what mercy does, 'Lord, soothe me, comfort me, take away my pain away, make me whole again.”  That is why in the book of psalms olive oil is called the oil of gladness.  Eleison - mercy.  Bartimaeus asked for mercy, he pleaded and begged for mercy, and he was given mercy.

So when Jesus passes us by, what do we ask?

Our parish celebrated the anointing of the sick last week and I was asked to make myself available just in case many would come for anointing with the oil. And indeed when Fr. Juancho announced this after the homily almost all the mass goers stood for anointing.  I never expected that many, even the little children came with their parents.  With all these senseless killings happening around us, bombs scares, the scandals in the church, traumatic events leading to the me-too movement, the political infighting, not to mention the daily stresses in our families and workplaces . . . with all these, people are looking for comfort, people are looking to have their pains soothed, to have their wounds healed, to be touched, to be assured - eleison.

Allow me to propose an ancient prayer - the Jesus prayer - “Jesus, Son of the living God, have mercy on me.” Do it repeatedly allowing yourself to be immersed in the soothing embrace of the mercy of Jesus.

Second, when Bartimaeus was asked what he wanted, he said, My teacher, I want to see. The only other person who addressed Jesus this way was Mary Magdalene after the resurrection.  By addressing Jesus as my teacher the blind man was not just asking for restoration of physical sight or the healing of his cataracts.  No, he was above all asking for insight, for understanding, for discernment which only a teacher like Jesus can give.  As a blind person himself he knew that seeing is not enough, looking is not enough, knowing is not enough, logic is not enough.  Rather, the ability to see God’s will and purpose in the events of our lives matter a lot to him.  My teacher, I want to see.

So when Jesus passes us by, what do we ask?  

To see meaning in my pain, to see purpose in my difficulties, to see encouragement and hope in my struggles, to see a reason to love even the unlovable, to see goodness in a person given up for good, to let go of my anger and hatred and see the joy of forgiving, to see the presence of the Lord in my confusion, to be enlightened in my decisions.  My teacher, I want to see.