Pentecost 21

Pentecost 21 Proper 25 Your Faith has made you well.

More often than not, what we believe we perceive. And, what we perceive becomes our reality.
Of course, this is not true in an absolute sense. If you believe your are Peter the Great of Russia it doesn’t mean you are the Czar. It just means your belief determines your reality.

What we believe and how we believe is a window into the condition of our souls. During his earthly ministry Jesus placed a significant emphasis on faith. Most religious leaders of his day emphasized works, obedience to the Law. Most religious leaders emphasized right action as a condition for gaining God’s attention and God’s favor.

The very existence of Jesus Christ tells us that there is nothing we can do to get God’s attention or God’s favor. Jesus is the fulness of God reaching out to all people everywhere. We did not earn his visit. We did not even invite his visit. He came because God is love.

Since there is nothing we can do to gain God’s favor there is nothing we can do to lose it. We do need to choose it. We do need to make a real choice to hear the word of God. We do need to make a conscious decision to receive the gift of God.

The gift of God is divine love. That love does not impose itself on us. God does not force us to love him. God does offer his love to all people everywhere without exception. There is no one whom God does not love.

The problem is not with God. We don’t need to work at getting his attention. We don’t need to merit his love. The problem lies in the human soul.

The human soul has chosen separation. The soul has declared its independence from God. That declaration of independence warps the will into a tight tense demand. That demand is self will. The self will asserts the right and the power to define God however it desires. In that choice, the soul creates layers and layers of distortion in an effort to defend itself from what it fears most.
The soul lost in sin does not want God.

The soul in separation fears that reunification with God means destruction. God does not bring destruction to the soul. God does bring transformation. For the soul to embrace reunification with God it must in some profound way surrender self will to divine will.

The impetus for that surrender of the will is faith. Faith is a gift God the Holy Spirit offers all people every where at all times. Faith is a choice to form the soul according to the plan, the purpose and the pattern of Divine Love.

As we see in the gospel reading this morning, faith requires the identification of our need and the desire to receive the blessing God offers.

This may seem straightforward, even obvious. Yet, through out the scriptures we see how people intentionally miss the mark. We see how people choose to ignore God’s messengers, the prophets. And we see how people choose to ignore God’s only begotten Son, Jesus Christ.
Bartimaeus was blind but he saw the problem. He did not fight against his blindness. He did not play the victim by accusing other people or God for his blindness. His soul was not locked in resentment and self pity. He knew the pain of blindness but he did not cultivate the suffering of shame or of blame.

Neither did he passively submit to his condition. When Jesus approached he called out to him for help. He took action within the limits of his condition. He asked for help. He asked the person who others had said could help him. He perceived another way.

Jesus helps Bartimaeus clarify his intent by asking him what he wants. It may seem like a strange question. But, even more strangely, modern psychologists have discovered a curious phenomena. Some people so strongly identify with their illness that they no longer want to be healed. And some people feel the spiritual pain of separation from God so powerfully that they manifest a physical illness where no physical cause for the illness exists.

So, Jesus invites Bartimaeus to declare his intent. "What do you want, Bartimaeus? What is the longing of your soul?"

We learn that Bartimaeus’ desire for healing was deep seated and profound. It was not casual. It did not proceed from the melodrama of self will. We learn this from the last verse of the passage. Immediately, he regained his sight and followed Jesus on the way.

Jesus told Bartimaeus: go. Your faith has made you well. Your faith has opened your mind and heart and will to the inner depths of your soul. Your faith has rightly identified Jesus as the one who can heal and will heal. Your faith seeks the blessing not just in the outward and visible signs of the things of this world. Your faith is the turning of your soul from self will to divine will.

Jesus says: go. Bartimaeus comes. He follows Jesus. Not every one whom Jesus healed followed Jesus. Bartimaeus did. He followed Jesus in the way. The way is not the road Jesus took as he left town. The way is the new life Jesus offers. It is the new life of grace. It is the new life of faith.
Faith is the reorientation of self will to divine will. Faith is the immersion of the soul in divine love. Faith is the anti dote to fear. Faith is the soul waking up, paying attention, asking questions, seeking answers, standing before the divine presence in Jesus Christ.

Faith is the course correction of a soul lost in separation. It is the course correction from dissolution to integration. It is the course correction from fear, self will and pride to light and life and love.
Faith is not magic. The principle is as you believe so shall you receive. The principle is not: name it and claim it.
Faith opens the soul to be filled with what the soul needs most but cannot see. Faith opens the soul to what the soul desires most but refuses to acknowledge. Faith opens the soul to love. It is the opening of the soul to divine love that allows the mind, heart and will to relax and receive the reality of grace.

For some, certainly for Bartimaeus, the healing of the body follows. For Bartimaeus the healing was immediate. Grace is not magic. Faith is not the will to power to assert control.
Jesus’ question to Bartimaeus is a fundamental question that invites all of us to discern the condition of our soul What do you want? What did you want that created your life to this point? What do you want that is more of the same? What do you want that is different?

Those questions are only a first step. But, they are question that bears repeating. What do you want? What do you want out of life? What do you want from God?
Forget your religious instruction for a minute. Forget what we call today the politically correct answer. Faith requires an honest assessment of the state of the soul.

Jesus once commented that those who believe they are well have no need of a physician. It is important to discern our real demand and our honest desire. Only then, can we turn to God and ask for the grace to receive the transforming power of divine love.

Sin erodes faith if we are not honest. Faith transforms sin if we have the courage to accept the truth where ever the truth may lead. For Bartimaeus that day, the truth was that he was blind. The truth was that he really did want to regain his sight. The truth was not just a series of statements or facts. The truth was a person, is a person, always will be a person: Jesus Christ.
As Bartimaeus opened his soul to the truth through faith, he opened his eyes to receive the healing he desired.. As he received the physical healing his soul opened wide to embrace the spiritual healing. His faith restored his eyes to sight. His faith restored his soul to reunification with God.

Jesus offers the same promise to us. As you believe so shall you receive. Jesus invites us into the new life of grace. He invites us into the new life of faith. He invites us to receive the transforming gift of eternal love.

Jesus invites us into the next step along the way. It is the step of faith. As we take that step, Jesus is already there saying to us. Go. Go forward in faith. Your faith has brought you this far. You faith has made you well.