Bartimaeus, the blind beggar. Finger painting by: Ronald Raab, CSC

Gospel Mk 10:46-52

As Jesus was leaving Jericho with his disciples and a sizable crowd,
Bartimaeus, a blind man, the son of Timaeus,
sat by the roadside begging.
On hearing that it was Jesus of Nazareth,
he began to cry out and say,
“Jesus, son of David, have pity on me.”
And many rebuked him, telling him to be silent.
But he kept calling out all the more, “Son of David, have pity on me.”
Jesus stopped and said, “Call him.”
So they called the blind man, saying to him,
“Take courage; get up, Jesus is calling you.”
He threw aside his cloak, sprang up, and came to Jesus.
Jesus said to him in reply, “What do you want me to do for you?”
The blind man replied to him, “Master, I want to see.”
Jesus told him, “Go your way; your faith has saved you.”
Immediately he received his sight
and followed him on the way.

Jesus asks one of the most vital and lasting questions to Bartimaeus, the blind beggar, “What do you want me to do for you?”

I wonder if we have the spiritual courage to hear this question today in our own blindness, in our own poverty and in our own lack of insight and self-confidence.

Take a deep breath today, and listen to Jesus ask you this question, “What do you want me to do for you?” This is real prayer, prayer that we can all take to heart. This is the love we seek, to throw off our cloaks and come to Jesus.