“Can You See Me Now?”
By Deacon Rod Knight
“Jesus, son of David, have pity on me. Jesus, son of David, have pity on me. Jesus, son of David, have pity on me.” Bartimaeus, a blind man, calls to Christ, many rebuke him and tell him to be silent. “Jesus, son of David, have pity on me. Jesus, son of David, have pity on me.” Bartimaeus is unwavering in his cry for help. Christ asks him what he wants, and he responds “Master, I want to see.”
St. Josemaria Escriva prayed this for years: “Domine, ut videam! Lord, that I might see!” Do we see? Do we want to see? Is it easier to be blind? Is it easier to cross the street, look the other way and avoid an opportunity to love, to minister, and live our faith? Is it easier not to spread the Word of God? Is it easier to go to hell than to get to Heaven? Yes, the answer is yes, it is easier. Is it every man for himself? No, we are called to love and communion. Do we see ourselves? Do we look deeply into our own hearts? Do we see Truth or are we hiding it with excuses? Do we listen to our “well formed” conscience? These are questions that everyone must answer themselves, if not now, then on the day of judgement. “Jesus, son of David, have pity on me.” What if we could take a spiritual selfie, would we post that for everyone to see? “Master, I want to see.” Show me how You see me, Lord. Show me where and how I have failed You and my neighbor. Show me what keeps me from becoming holier and from loving deeper. Lord show me Your unending mercy!
Do we see You, the New Testament, when we receive the Blessed Sacrament? Do we see You, Lord Jesus, in our spouses, our families, in our brothers and sisters? Christ, do we see You in the poor, in the unborn, and in the dying? Do we see You in our own human dignity? Do we see You in the dignity of others? Do others see You in us? Do we have the tenacity, the perseverance, and courage of Bartimaeus to beg You, Lord, to take away our blindness and then to follow You in faith? Bartimaeus was physically blind, but had 20/20 spiritual vision, he knew who the Divine Physician was and cried out to Him. Bartimaeus knew he could not heal himself. As we grow older our physical vision decreases, I pray that our spiritual vision increases. Lord, let us see clearly where we need to change and where we need to serve. It is our weakened will and intellect, disordered passions, and Satan himself that blur our spiritual vision, sometimes to blindness. The world tries to blur the solid line of truth to make it subjective, to dim the light and make it difficult to find the way. The Lamb of God tells us that He is the Way, the Truth, and the Life. The light of the world. Heavenly Father remove the scales from our eyes as we cry out, Master we want to see!