Throughout the Gospels, we find that Jesus is frequently on a journey, or on his way somewhere - and as he goes, he walks beside people, listening and understanding what is on their hearts. In the first passage above from Mark, a certain man comes running up to Jesus, kneels before him and says, "Good Master, what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life?" He comes with a crucial question - a question that requires time and sensitivity to understand - yet Jesus is not annoyed, nor does he seem disturbed - instead, he is present and open to the encounter - nothing makes Jesus indifferent, and everything is of concern to him. The meeting of the eyes between them both - as the man shares his story/history with him. This is the closeness that Jesus embodies - he knows that someones life can be changed by one encounter, to listen and bring healing. As we initiate this process in our own everyday lives, we too are called to be experts in these encounters, not so much as to theorize their problems, but to listen to our Holy Spirit, taking in the encounter fully and openly, to look another in their eyes, sensitive and enriched by Jesus' ministries. Every encounter calls for openness - to be challenged by the stories of others. If we take refuge in normality and conformity of the spirit of clericalism, and not try and overthink encounters, the experience of the encounter often changes us - it opens new and unexpected possibilities for us - this is how God so often points out new paths, to leave our old habits behind - everything changes once we are capable of genuine encounters without formalism or pretense - simply as we are. Jesus does not give the rich man kneeling before him a "pre-packaged solution," rather, he listens to the religious and existential concerns behind his question and responds politely, he does not dismiss him and continue on his way - he listens undisturbed and without fear, Jesus is not afraid to listen with his heart and not just with his ears, he lets the man tell his story and speak freely about himself, and the man talks about the commandments and tell Jesus of his history and his efforts to meet God. People want to feel heard not judged - when we let others speak freely we hear their true experiences and journey - we must ask ourselves sincerely - Are we good at listening? How good is the hearing of our hearts? Do we allow people to express themselves? Without hindering them? Without judging them? We can place ourselves on the same path as the word made flesh by listening to his word and the words of others carefully. The Holy Spirit always surprises us by offering us fresh paths and to new ways of speaking. Listening can be tiring, but to avoid artificial and shallow responses the spirit asks us to listen to the questions, concerns, and hopes of all people and to listen to the world and its challenges and changes that exist before us. Let us not sound proof our hearts, nor barricade ourselves in our uncertainties because they close us off. We must also discern - encounter and reciprocal listening are not the ends, on the contrary whenever we enter into dialogue, we allow ourselves to advance in our journey and to change. Jesus senses he is a good and religious man, he practices the commandments, but Jesus want to lead him to discernment, and he encourages him to look within himself, the light of his love by God's grace, not attain happiness by obtaining more religious observances, but by making room for God. We see how the story ends - the rich man is greatly dismayed when Jesus tells him that he must give up his treasure on earth to receive his treasure in heaven, as too are the disciples when they hear these things. This is a lesson for us all. We must have spiritual discernment - through prayer and contact with the word of God, for Gods word is living and active, sharper than any two edged sword (Hebrews 4:12-13). Thus, the word summons us to discern and bring like to the encountering process, it guides us. Jesus calls us to interact in the same way he did with the rich man in the Gospel and to be like the rich man, in freeing ourselves from all that is worldly. What does God want me to say in this situation, in this time? If we are are open to the surprises of the Holy Spirit, let us not miss out on listening - even as we seek the Lord in private prayer, it is always him who comes with his love to meet us first.
How importantly do our encounters arise from listening. In the second passage above from Mark, Jesus was on his way out of Jericho when he heard blind Bartimeus, the son of Timeus, sitting by the highway side begging. And when Bartimeus heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth passing by, he began to cry out, and say, "Jesus, thou son of David, have mercy on me." Interestingly, Bartimeus did not yell out to Jesus to be healed, but for mercy (or pity). When Jesus heard him, he commanded him to be called, and he responded to Bart in the form of a question saying, "What wilt thou that I should do unto thee?" Bart responded and replied, "Lord, that I might receive my sight." Scripture tells us that Jesus sayeth, "Go thy way, thy faith hath made thee whole." And immediately he received his sight, and began to follow Jesus in the way. Ironically, the blind man is the one who sees - clearer than most of those encountered in the Gospels. Jesus recognizes that Bartimeus recognizes who he is, and it is this faith and knowing that saves him and restores his sight. He was physically blind, but spiritually - he sees with clarity. Most of us suffer from the reverse - we suffer from some sort of spiritual blindness in one form or another, this should reinforce our call to Jesus to have mercy on us, to cure our own spiritual blindness - and if you don't think you have any, that means you do. We must listen to everyone, including those are estranged from the Church, those who have no practice at all, and those who live on the margins of society - because one encounter can help someone find a new way, a new road, and change their life - just like Bartimeus.
In conclusion...
Firstly: God is not found in ordinary places - he is distant from reality, yet he meets us on our side - often on the bumpy roads in life. Do we embody Christ's nature? Are we prepared for each days journey - the fear of unknowing, taking refuge in the usual excuses - or will we remember what Christ taught us - that when we encounter the stranger on the street, will we stop and listen - or will we ignore them and not receive the blessings we were meant to receive from that encounter by stopping, listening, and discerning.
Secondly: We must practice detachment. (Wisdom of Solomon Chapter 7) for achieving salvation on our own is not possible. St Theresa of Flower just before her death said, "I go to God with empty hands." We are all beggars, and it's important for us to keep that in mind lest we think that we are entitled to salvation just because we keep the commandments. Salvation is a gift and Jesus wants us to keep this in our focus should we become attached to the things of this world and think we earned it already. Spend time in prayer, take wealth and give it away, nothing in this world is going to save us - we must trust the Lord by giving ourselves over into the direction he is guiding us in. Just as pre-schoolers are tied together with rope to the teacher, they trust that the teacher is leading them where they need to go, Jesus is moving us where we need to go, closer to him.
All things are possible with God, we must allow space in our lives for Grace, and have the confidence to be tethered to the God of all things, where all things are possible.
The simple invocation of the name of Jesus - saying daily to ourselves and God - "Lord Jesus Christ Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner." Just like Bartimeus, we can be saved as well and be shewn mercy.