When someone begins an academic career or assumes new job responsibilities or enters a new environment, it is important to ask oneself this crucial question namely. “What do I want and why is what I want so essential to me?” This is evident during child-baptisms. Parents are asked what they request from the church for their child. And during adult baptism, the candidates are expected to answer for themselves. Many a time, one does not know what one wants in life. This is because we are bombarded with options, opinions, and distractions. Social media, advertisements, and cultural pressures often tell us what we should want. And as a result of not knowing what one wants; one is being carried away with the trend of the moment and by public opinion. Asking and answering the question “What do I want” helps us to focus on the essentials in life. This is evident in the encounter of Jesus with Bartimaeus.
Bartimaeus and His Answer
Being God, Jesus knows the heart of every person. He could have healed Bartimaeus immediately without asking anything. Yet, he pauses and gives Bartimaeus the opportunity to articulate his desire. This moment is significant. It shows us that knowing what we truly want is essential and helps us to work towards achieving it. Bartimaeus’ healing began when he recognized his true need. He could have asked for food, monetary gifts, or a better walking stick. Instead, he asked for sight, the very thing that stands between him and a fulfilling life.
Also, in our lives, problems often persist because we have not taken the time to define them. When we are confused about our needs, we end up chasing superficial solutions, things that might bring temporary relief but do not address the deeper issues of our hearts.
Faith as a Form of Self-examination
Faith helps us to decipher what truly matters in our lives. After answering correctly, Jesus said to Bartimaeus, “your faith has cured you.” His faith helped him, not only to put his trust in Jesus but also to discover what is essential for his life. Namely, escaping from his world of darkness. When we trust in God, we begin to let go of the distractions and superficial concerns that cloud our vision. Faith helps us to face self-examination and to discover that what is essential is not worldly success or accolades, but in living a life aligned with God’s will. So, the answer to Jesus’ question, “what do you want” is to be able to fulfill the will of God for my life.
Being Fully Human as God’s Will for Us
St. Irenaeus in his Against Heresies writes, “Gloria enim Dei vivens homo, vita autem hominis visio Dei” (For the glory of God is the living man, and the life of man is the vision of God). We are created to manifest the glory of God. Just as a tree glorifies God by being a tree, we glorify God by being human. One of the ways of being truly human is to recognize that we are an integration of body and soul. And, that we are beloved children of God. Jesus helps us to live as truly humans and to pursue our life mission, through the sacraments and the word of God, that we hear daily. This is exactly what he did for Bartimaeus. He removed the physical and spiritual blindness that was hindering him from living a fulfilled life. The healing of Bartimaeus is a fulfillment of God’s plan to restore creation to its dignity (Jer 31: 7-9) through a compassionate High Priest (Hebrews 5: 1-6). May Jesus free us from all symbolic blindness that hinder us from living a truly human life.
