Scripture Reflection, October 25, 2009: Branch and Root Desires

Scripture Readings:
Jeremiah 31:7-9
Psalm 126
Hebrews 5:1-6
Mark 10:46-52

“Once upon a time there lived a poor woodsman in a great forest, and every day of his life he went out to fell timber.” This is how the English fairy tale The Three Wishes starts. When the woodsman was about to cut a huge old oak, an elf appeared and asked him to spare the tree where she lived. To show her gratefulness, she granted him three wishes, “be they what they may be.” When the woodsman went home, he had already forgotten about the elf and as he was starving after a long work day, he said to his wife: “I wish I’d a good link of black pudding here before me.” And immediately the pudding was right there in front of him. After telling the story to his wife the two of them started fighting about it, making more imprudent wishes. At the end of the story everything is how it was before and the two missed the opportunity of becoming rich and wealthy, because they didn’t know what to wish for.
Wouldn’t it be nice to encounter this elf and to have three wishes? But for what would WE ask?

When the blind man Bartimaeus hears that Jesus is approaching with his disciples, he knows that this is the greatest moment of his life. He believes it so desperately that nobody can stop him from crying: “Jesus, son of David, have pity on me.” The people around Jesus react with impatience and embarrassment. What comes into the mind of the beggar to attract the attention of this great rabbi? Not only was he physically blind and poor, people would have thought that his blindness meant also that he was cursed by God for something that he or his family had done against the laws of Yahweh. People try to silence him, but he insists and calls for Jesus again. And here is the great moment when Jesus demands to see him and to talk to him. “He threw aside his cloak,” the Scripture says, “sprang up and came to Jesus.” And Jesus grants him one wish: “What do you want me to do for you?” – “Master I want to see.” Bartimaeus doesn’t have to think twice. He doesn’t ask for black pudding or sausages, but for what his heart deeply desires: “I want to see.”

When Bishop Morneau talks about Discernment during our Young Adult Conferences, he talks about “branch desires” and “root desires.” Many times it’s easy to know our “branch desires”: black pudding and sausages, going to Florida for vacation, buying the newest I-Phone or having good results in our midterms. When it comes to the “root desires,” things get more complicated. We have to dig deeper and ask ourselves what it really is that we desire in our lives. Where is our passion? When do we feel the greatest joy and most alive? And this is the question that Jesus is asking each of us: “What do you REALLY want me to do for you?”

To grant us our wishes, Jesus needs us to be ready and open for his answer. Bartimaeus was convinced that Jesus was the only one who could heal him from his blindness. That’s why he was so persistent in seeing him. How persistent are we in getting in touch with Jesus in our lives? Do we really believe that Jesus can heal us, make us see and fulfill our deepest desires? Or do we think that Jesus has better things to do and we don’t feel worthy enough to ask him for what we need?

The first reading from the prophet Jeremiah makes clear, that all people are worthy for God’s grace. When Jeremiah announces the return of the Jewish people from the exile in Babylon, he stresses that God brings back ALL the people, including the weakest, like the blind, the lame, the nursing and pregnant women. God’s grace is not something that can be earned by our strength. God’s calling for us is a grace, and it is free. God pours out his love over rich and poor, sick and wealthy, young and old, just and sinners. God doesn’t discriminate. Bartimaeus is one of those people we meet sometimes on the street, begging us for a dollar or two. He is one of those people who are there, but don’t really have a voice. And still Jesus cares for him and grants him what he desires, and even more. Jesus not only gives him the ability to see with his eyes, but with his heart. He gives him confidence, self-esteem, meaning and truth. When Bartimaeus receives his sight, he is finally able to see Jesus and who He really is: the Messiah, the Son of David. Instead of going his way, as Jesus commanded him, he stays with his new Master and follows him. He follows him on the way to the cross into resurrection.

This Gospel story can speak to us in several ways. We can find ourselves in the role of Bartimaeus, asking Jesus to give us what we really need. We too need to see that Jesus, the Son of the Living God, is calling each and every one of us to be his disciples. He doesn’t look at our weaknesses and limits. But we need to be persistent in our desire to meet Jesus in our lives, and we need to be ready to “throw aside the cloak” and follow him.

We can also find ourselves in the role of the people who are trying to prevent Bartimaeus from talking to Jesus. Sometimes we can be tempted to make differences between those who are worthy to follow Jesus and others who are not. Jesus instead calls the ‘unworthy.’ He calls the weak, the blind, the sinners and the poor. For God there are no ‘hopeless’ cases. Jesus can touch the heart of every human being and call him or her by name. No one is excluded. Not the drug-addict, nor the high-salary banker; not the politician from the other party, nor the person with another theological background. Not the disabled, nor the immigrant or the person of another race or sexual orientation. And Jesus asks each of us: “Call them. Help them to meet me. Give them courage. Show them my love. Help them to see their calling.” It’s up to us to go especially to the weak members of our community and encourage them by our actions and words: “Take courage; get up, Jesus is calling you.”

As we gather before the Eucharist this Sunday, let’s listen to the question of Jesus for us: “What do you want me to do for you?” Let’s listen in the depth of our hearts and ask Jesus for what we really need. Let’s also listen to those who are on the margins of our society and need our help to encounter Christ and be open to his healing.

Birgit Oberhofer