Discernment: Role of Self-Knowledge

Discernment:  Knowing our Need and Recognizing Jesus in our midst

In today’s Gospel, Mark 10: 46-52,  Bartimaeus, a blind man, is sitting by the roadside begging—probably something he did every day to provide for his basic human needs.  He hears that Jesus is passing  by his way. He seizes the moment and calls out: “Jesus, son of David, have pity on me.”  He’s rebuked and told to keep quiet and not to bother this holy passerby.  Bartimaeus pays no heed and continues begging Jesus to have pity on him. Jesus does so and calls Bartimaeus over to himself and asks: “What do you want me to do for you?” Bartimaeus responds: “Master, I want to see.”

Discernment begins with self-knowledge. We need to know both our weaknesses and our strengths, what we need or what needs have already been fulfilled,  what we see or do not yet see, what we hear or what we are not hearing. Without knowing who we truly are, we will not recognize that we need Jesus or even that Jesus is passing  by and ready to be of help.  We may be so busy doing what we always do that we simply do not call upon Jesus for help, as Bartimaeus did.  This may be true in ordinary events of every day or in bigger events, such as discerning our vocation in life, our career choices, or other major decisions. We may not even recognize that, without Jesus, we are spiritually blind, spiritually deaf and in need of help to hear the Spirit’s call! 

Jesus is the Way, the Truth and the Life—go to Him in all things, in all decisions, in all dilemmas if you are desirous of discerning what is right for you!