In Mark’s gospel today, Jesus restores sight to a blind man named Bartimaeus. On hearing that Jesus is coming, Bartimaeus drops his cloak, probably his only possession, and springs up off the ground to meet him. I’m imagining Bartimaeus as a slightly older gentleman. He’s probably pretty dirty because he’s been sitting on the ground begging, and to top it off he can’t actually see anything. So when he literally leaps up and goes parading off, in what he must be hoping is the right direction, I am struck by the determination of his faith.
 
As Christians we are called to toss aside our material possessions, jump off the ground, and teeter off in the direction of Jesus’ voice. We are called to acknowledge our own weaknesses so that we can lean upon the shoulder of Christ and let him provide the compliment to our inadequacies. God says in Jeremiah 31:7-9, “They departed in tears, but I will console them and guide them.” Regardless of the weaknesses we struggle against and the other obstacles in our lives, help us to find God in even the most desolate of moments so that we may find strength through him.