What Do We Want to See?

From the Rector
Arriving in Jericho, Jesus comes upon a blind beggar named Bartimaeus. Though people try to get him to quiet down, Bartimaeus cries out for Jesus to pay attention to him.

Jesus responds to Bartimaeus and his urgency. What does he want? Jesus asks.

Not surprisingly, perhaps, Bartimaeus wants to see – to have his physical sight restored.

Of course physical sight is not all it promises to be. Many blind persons have more developed awareness and insight than many sighted people.

We only see if we look, if we pay attention.

Jesus still offers the gift of sight. What do we want to see? What will we allow ourselves to see, by God’s grace?

Most people, sighted or physically blind in our world spend a great deal of effort (sometimes unconsciously) overlooking very important dimensions of reality. A recent New York Times story told of newly wealthy Sudanese living 600 miles from earth’s greatest humanitarian disaster who are ignoring the devastation of violence and starvation in the Darfur region of their country.

What do we want to see? What will we allow ourselves to see, by God’s grace?

As Jesus gives us sight, we also receive, through grace and the Holy Spirit, the strength and courage to see, to understand, and to respond to what we encounter.

In Christ, we can really look at our lives, our relationships, our faith community, our wider neighborhood and the world.