Listening to the desires of my heart
Grace: Lord, help me to become more aware of the deepest desires inside
my heart.
Text: Mk 10:46-52 Blind Bartimaeus Receives Sight
46 Then they came to Jericho. As Jesus and his disciples, together with a large crowd, were leaving the city, a blind man, Bartimaeus, was sitting by the roadside begging. 47 When he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to shout, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” 48Many rebuked him and told him to be quiet, but he shouted all the more, “Son of David, have mercy on me!” 49 Jesus stopped and said, “Call him.” So they called to the blind man, “Cheer up! On your feet! He’s calling you.” 50 Throwing his cloak aside, he jumped to his feet and came to Jesus. 51 “What do you want me to do for you?” Jesus asked him. The blind man said, “Rabbi, I want to see.” 52 “Go,” said Jesus, “your faith has healed you.” Immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus along the road.
Points for reflection:
- Bartimaeus had a desire to see again and was not ready to lose a golden opportunity. If Jesus asked you the same question, “What do you want me to do for you?”, what would you answer? What am I longing for? What do I desire?
- Bartimaeus was told to be quiet, not to disturb the “status quo”. Do I feel a pressure to conform? Does this distract me from listening to the desires in my heart?
- Bartimaeus didn’t let anything stop him from seeking Jesus. He found the courage to go against the crowd. How can I find the courage to follow what I thirst for?
- Is there anything I dedicate time and resources to, that does not satisfy me in the long term?
God is inviting you to a personal relationship with him. “Seek Him while he
can be found”. Take time to be with God in silence. Converse with the Lord
about your thirsts and desires. Speak to the Lord about what moved in you
during this time of reflection.
A Prayer by Thomas Merton:
“My Lord God, I have no idea where I am going. I do not see the road ahead of me. I cannot know for certain where it will end. Nor do I really know myself, and the fact that I think that I am following your will does not mean that I am actually doing so. But I believe that the desire to please you does in fact please you. And I hope I have that desire in all that I am doing. I hope that I will never do anything apart from that desire. And I know that if I do this, you will lead me by the right road though I may know nothing about it. Therefore, I will trust you always though I may seem to be lost and in the shadow of death. I will not fear, for you are ever with me, and you will never leave me to face my perils alone.”― from the book Thoughts in Solitude
Other texts for your personal prayer time:
Abraham’s call: Genesis 12: 1-4
The blind man of Bethsaida: Mark 8:22–26
The call of the first disciples: Jn 1:35-39
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