Thursday in the 8th Week of Ordinary Time
Today’s gospel features the story of Blind Bartimaeus. Knowing that Jesus was near, Bartimaeus called out to Him to be healed of his blindness, and Jesus does eventually heal him. What is so interesting about the story is not necessarily that Bartimaeus’ blindness was healed, but his persistence. When his first attempt at calling Jesus failed, “he kept calling out all the more” (or “shouted all the louder” in other versions). Bartimaeus is persistent in his desire to speak with Jesus.
In our own lives, it can be easy to get discouraged in prayer. On some occasions, what we ask for in prayer is clearly not given. Other times, the effects of prayer only gradually reveal themselves. There are even occasions when we receive exactly what we pray for, but hesitate to keep asking for it. When we go to confession, for instance, we ask forgiveness of our sins, and through the priest we receive it. But, as Pope Francis has observed on several occasions that while “the Lord never tires of forgiving,” nevertheless we can “tire of asking forgiveness.” Inspired by the perseverance of Bartimaeus, may we never tire of asking God for the graces we need in life.