As we are exploring
ways we are Blessed to witness to God’s love, we have realized that we need to BE
who we were created as: God’s Beloved Child. That may mean we learn to say ‘no’
to some things we thought we had to do, in order to CHOOSE relationship with
God.
When we open up some
time and space, we might just find we have time to be Blessed to Listen. Time
to Listen to God. Time to Listen to one another!
How often do we
really listen? Confession time…I can be on the phone and on email at the same
time. That means I am not really listening to the person on the phone. When was
the last time you sat down and really heard what someone was saying-without the
distraction of a TV in the background, or a video game on your cell phone, or
without thinking about what you were going to say in response, or even what you
planned to do after the conversation?
Recently a post made
the rounds on Facebook saying “The problem today is that no one sits and shells
peas with grandma anymore.” Perhaps there is a kernel of truth in that. If we
are doing a mindless occupation with our hands, we can really listen to the
stories and heart of another person.
Jesus was completely
present to those around him. We hear more than once in the Gospels that ‘he
knew what was in their hearts’. The only way you can know a person’s heart is
to really hear what they are saying, both verbally and non-verbally. We might
even speculate that on those occasions when Jesus asked someone “What do you
want me to do for you?” it was because the person was not really aware or
paying attention to what he was asking. In the case of healing blind Bartimaeus
(Mark 10:46-52) and the pair of blind men (Matthew 20:29-34), those in need are
sitting by the road calling out to any and all for alms. Jesus calls Bartimaeus
to come and then asks “What do you want me to do for you?” It is then that
Bartimaeus asks clearly for his sight, rather than the ‘mercy’ of money as he
had been begging for previously.
Think about
Bartimaeus’ life. He was stuck being among the ignored of society. He had to
shout and beg in order to get attention and any small coins passersby might
toss to him. His immediate response to a large crowd was to shout louder the
rote words of the beggars, “Have mercy!” It was a reminder to those in the area
that it was mitzvah, a blessing, to give to the poor.
When Jesus came he
immediately began his pleading shout, adding “Jesus, Son of David” to the cry
in the hopes that the personal touch would inspire generosity. Jesus hears a
different need under the cry and asks “what do you want me to do for you?”
Perhaps Bartimaeus was surprised himself when the said “My teacher, let me see
again.” Sometimes we blurt out things without really thinking them through.
In reading this
citation I was struck with the fact that Bartimaeus asks to ‘see AGAIN’,
implying that he was not blind from birth. Either way, Jesus responds to the
heart cry and tells him “Your faith has made you well.” And Bartimaeus follows
Jesus.
This statue by Johann
Stover from 1861 found at St John's Church, Erbach, Rheingau, Hesse, Germany, shows Bartimaeus as a young man. Of
course it is not the man’s age that matters, but the reality that Jesus
listened to more than the beggar’s cry and responded to the real need.
I wonder how often we
do not really LISTEN to what others are saying because we are too wrapped up in
our own thoughts and getting things done. Like Jesus we need to learn to listen
to the heart. The lips may ask for a handout or the answer to a question or
directions, but the heart is begging to be heard. The heart is seeking
recognition of humanity, an ear to pause and hear grief or joy, or simply a
moment of undivided attention.
Maybe this week I’ll
practice looking away from my computer when answering the phone so I’m not
tempted to also check email or Facebook.
