Lenten Meditations from Our Parish Family
Beginning on Ash Wednesday, we invite you to journey through Lent with daily meditations written by St. John’s parishioners. These reflections offer honest, thoughtful voices from within our community—meeting us right where we are in this season of prayer, repentance, and hope. Meditations will be shared by email, posted on Facebook, and available as printed weekly copies at the church. Be on the lookout, and let these shared words accompany you as we walk the Lenten road together.
Saturday in Fifth Week of Lent
March 28, 2026
Mark 10:46-52
In this reading about Bartimaeus, a blind man is given his sight by Jesus. I am struck by Bartimaeus’s immense faith that his prayers will be answered. He shouts when he hears Jesus and his followers pass by; he asks Jesus to have mercy on him. The crowd rebukes him and tells him to be quiet, but Bartimaeus will not be shushed. He believes with all his heart, so he shouts even louder. Finally, Jesus hears him and tells his followers to go get him. When they come to collect Bartimaeus, he throws his cloak aside and jumps to his feet and goes to Jesus.
I imagine Bartimaeus was ecstatic and probably also scared. What would happen? What would Jesus do?
Jesus asks him “What do you want me to do for you?” and this blind man who has put all his faith in Jesus steps forward and says “Rabbi, I want to see.” Jesus must have taken a second to look at this man, to really look at him and acknowledge what this poor man was doing. He was putting everything on the line. He was determined to speak to Jesus, to have Jesus hear him. He seemed to know without a doubt that his request would be given to him. And then, just like that, his prayer is granted and Jesus tells him to go, his faith has healed him.
How many times have I truly believed that my prayer would be answered? How many times have I jumped up and embraced my faith with full belief that what I request will be given? Sometimes, I have--but most times, I have this narrative in the back of my mind of how I should solve it, or how I could figure it out on my own.
A few years ago on a retreat, I had a wonderful conversation with one of the leaders of the retreat and I found myself telling him how grateful I am for his work and all the ways that I have seen he has helped. He smiled at me and said,” Yes, okay, thanks so much, but what can I do for you?”
It was such a direct question, so pure and meaningful that I dared to speak. It just came bubbling up, the thing that I had been harboring in my heart for years. “I want to be a Spiritual Director!” He didn’t miss a beat, he said, “And I want to encourage and support you!”
Within a year I was in training at Haden Institute and discovering a path that opened and changed my world. I will graduate in 4 months. I have studied hard, learned much, and met the most amazing people and my life is forever changed because of it. So, be brave, seize your moment. Listen for God, listen for his followers and jump up and with completed belief, make your request. With faith, embrace your new path.
Maria Pacheco
