What do you need to leave behind?

Homily for the 30th Sunday: Bartimaeus 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?” (Mk 10:46-52)

That’s quite a question from Jesus: What do you want me to do for you? The blind Bartimaeus answered, “I want to see.”

If Jesus were to ask you the same question, how would you answer:

What do you want me to do for you? Think about that answer for a minute or two while I talk about the question. 

The question reveals a few things about how Jesus relates to us. First of all, the question shows vulnerability.  Jesus doesn’t know how the blind man will answer. By asking the question he shows a willingness to go where the other person wants to go.  What do you want me to do for you?  

Let’s say you’re having a disagreement with another person.  Your spouse, your parents, your son or daughter.  You reach an impasse where no one wants to surrender.  You then soften your tone and ask with sincerity, “What do you want me to do for you?”  You’re making yourself vulnerable because the question suggests you will do whatever the other person says.  Jesus is willing to hear the request of the blind man.  Jesus is willing to hear your request.

Second, it says that Jesus doesn’t presume. He doesn’t insert himself into our life. He could have easily said, “Oh, your blind.  Let me fixt that.” But instead, he first he wanted Bartimaeus to express that desire.

Jesus isn’t going to insert himself into your life and fix the things that he thinks need to be fixed. He want to hear you express your desire. He wants to hear your answer to the question, “What do you want me to do for you?”  Sometimes in a person’s life, the answer is very obvious.  Jesus won’t go there unless he is invited.  He gives us complete freedom to decide.

Bartimaeus could have answered differently.  He could have said, “I want more alms to get through the day… I want these people to stop criticizing me so I can live in peace…”  He had he had a few other responses.  Jesus gave him the freedom to express whatever was on his heart.  Jesus gives us the freedom to express whatever is on our hearts.  In a like manner, if you asked another, “What do you want me to do for you?”  Your question suggests that you’re willing to go where the other person wants to go. 

After the question, Jesus did not heal the blind man.  Jesus said, “Go your way; your faith has saved you.”  This statement also shows how Jesus relates to us.  We must answer the question in faith. 

What was it about Bartimaeus that revealed such a great faith?  The answer has to do with the cloak.  Let’s go back to the roadside. He’s sitting on his cloak. People were walking by.  His only source of income was from the alms people would throw on top of the cloak.  The cloak served as his collection basket.

His cloak also served as protection from the elements.  The cloak kept him dry in the rain, cool in the blistering sun, and at night, the cloak served as a bed.

When the disciples called him, “He threw aside his cloak.” He threw aside his source of income, his shelter, and his bed.  He is now a blind man with nothing.    

That’s putting it all on the line.  Bartimaeus surrendered everything and answered that call.  Bartimaeus did not know what the master might say or ask or do. And if Jesus did not heal him, He would be a blind man with nothing, surrounded by a crowd of hostile people.. 

This order of events tells us how Jesus asks us the same kind of question, “What do you want me to do for you?”  He wants us to come to him in faith. Sometimes that means leaving something behind. 

Jesus is calling you.  He’s calling you to a new vision, a new way of living, a new freedom. He’s calling you.  There are some things you need to leave behind to answer that call.

Circling back to the original question from Jesus.  “What do you want me to do for you?”   A better question might be, “What do you need to leave behind so I can fulfill your deepest desire, heal your deepest pain, reveal to you my great love?” 

Bartimaeus left behind his cloak, received vision, and followed Jesus on the way.  What do you need to leave behind?