What do you Want?

A homily for the 30^th Sunday of the Year

 

Have you ever tried to calm a child 

who’s afraid of monsters under the bed?

Have you ever tried to block a cowboy 

running from a charging bull?

 

Difficult—if not impossible—to do!

Each of these situations involves fear

and fear it one of the strongest forces

on the face of the earth.

 

In today’s gospel passage,

we encounter Bartimaeus,

a fellow whose name means, "Son of Fear."

 

Evidently, this man’s father was a coward…

or it could mean that Bartimaeus himself

was a man who:

        shook at the sound of thunder,

        jumped at the sound of a slamming door

        or spent his life huddled in corners

        hoping not to get kicked 

        like some mangy dog.

 

        Yet, in today's passage, this Son of Fear

        confronts his trepidation, 

        stands up on his own two feet 

        and makes is way toward Jesus.

       

So, imagine the scene: 

        Bartimaeus' hands trembling,

        his arms stretched out before him

        as he gropes his way through the crowd.

 

        Then, upon reaching the Lord, 

        what does he do? 

        He does something 

        that any blind person might do:

        he reaches up and, slowly,

        moves his fingers

        around the curves and angles Jesus’ face;

        brushes his thumbs against the eyes,

        weighs the Lord’s chin in the cup of his hand.

 

When he completes this tactile surveillance, 

Jesus asks him, “What do want?”

 

“I want to see,” he replies. 

No doubt, he longs to be able to see 

in a general sense

but, at this moment, his words could also mean, 

“I want to see your face!”

                                                      

                                               ***

 

Consider the theological ramifications of this scene:

        God came into this world

        to show his face

        —his very own face—

                   to the blind

                   to the fearful…

                             to those drowning in sin,

                             to those trapped in addictions…

         

         Yes!

         To anyone willing to reach beyond

                   their fears,  

                   their failures 

                   and their regrets…

                   Christ longs to show his face.

 

                                               ***

 

“What do you wish?” Jesus asked the blind man.

“I wish to see,” he replied.

 

Today, the Lord is asking us:

“What do you wish?”

 

Bartimaeus' courage compels each one of us

to move beyond our own fear, 

        our shame, 

        our sins, 

        our regrets and say:

               

                           “Lord, I want to see. 

                            I want to see your face.”