What do you want God to do for you? … God helps us to see the truth clearly … will set you free to find happiness

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What do you want God to do for you? … God helps us to see the truth clearly … will set you free to find happiness

Thirtieth Sunday in Ordinary Time – October 27, 2024

Our First Reading reminds us what God’s relationship with us is really like: God wants us, and constantly invites us to “come home”, to feel loved, safe and happy in the Kingdom of God.

They had left in tears, I will comfort them as I lead them back; I will guide them to streams of water… For I am a father to Israel, and Ephraim is my first-born son.

However, today’s Gospel reminds us of the barriers we face in responding to these invitations to “come home”: we can be blinded by our worries, fears, pleasures and, perhaps, feelings of shame about our failings.  Will God really love me?  Are many voices criticising us?

So, Bartimaeus teaches us a few important steps about how to “come home” to God.
1) Bartimaeus spoke out loud: we too need to express our desire for Jesus/ God by actions or voice: private desires are good, but can be lost in our busyness of our minds.

2) Unfortunately, there will be people who tell us to be quiet, “you are not worthy”: however, Bartimaeus had a sense that he belonged to God: he persevered and called louder: we too must remember that God does love me and will listen to me.

3) After his persistence, Bartimaeus actually gets some encouragement: this is true for us, when we keep trying, people will also help us; if we stop trying, people will not know we need help.

4) The cloak of Bartimaeus is very symbolic for us: we have to let go of some of our false securities – busyness, pleasures, addictions? – in order to make time and space for God.  Throwing the cloak away is courageous because he cannot see to get it back.

Finally, Bartimaeus comes close to God and Jesus asks him: “what do you want me to do for you?”  This is also a challenge for us.  Imagine Jesus is asking you this question today.  What is my answer?  What is your answer?

Would you ask for: wisdom, knowledge, a clean heart, compassion for others?  Wealth?
Our honest answers to ourselves may be an insight into what causes our lives to go well and what causes our lives to not go well?

The answer of Bartimaeus is obvious to us but, when he saw Jesus Christ he saw love, so he followed him.  And, in the Bible, to follow is not just to walk along with Christ, but it is to start a journey with Christ so we may become more and more like Him in our daily actions.

And, what does it mean to be more like Christ in our daily lives?  Of course we can mention compassion, patience and forgiveness.  But today’s Gospel passage helps us see a simple way for each day of our lives.  And I thank one of our youth for raising this:

To help other people “see” more clearly their own goodness: let’s try and be a PAL.
P) through our words of praise for the good people do and any success they achieve;
A) to express, frequently, words of appreciation for what people do for us;
L) and, finally, to make the effort to stop and listen to people more deeply.

By practicing the above simple steps, we create a more inclusive community, which makes it easier to practice the more demanding elements of Christian behaviour: eg. forgiveness.

When Bartimaeus threw off the cloak he immediately changed the focus from himself to others.  We are often our own worst enemy, and remain outside the Kingdom of God, because we are looking inwards.  But by responding to the call of Christ Bartimaeus gained new sight.  Christ was his PAL.

Everyday Christ is calling us to “come” closer so God can show us love.  Through our kind words to those in our family and workplace, on the bus and on the road we become a PAL to them and also receive God’s love for us.

You see, something happens to us when we praise or appreciate others.
A spark is ignited by our simple actions which bring us closer to Christ.
This leads us to a better vision of the world and our place in it.

By being a PAL to others, we increase our sense of belonging, feel more-free to extend compassion and forgiveness to others, thereby building the Kingdom of God.

Throw off your “cloak”, be a PAL and see the Truth that we are all brothers and sisters: you can make a difference to others.

By Gerard Conlan, OMI