The Gospel reading for this Sunday hinges on a single phrase: “Son of David.” For the Jews, this title was pregnant with Messianic significance: David’s heir, the one to usher in the everlasting kingdom, the fulfillment of all their longings, was the son of David promised in the Scriptures. But to the Jewish crowd, this was blasphemous, as only the Messiah could be referred to in this way. Imagine you were the blind beggar Bartimaeus, living in the shadows of life, deep in his darkness but with piercingly attuned ears to hear the stories of Jesus’ redemptive power. For him, this is a moment he has been seeking, and he will not be denied. So, he continues to call out, “Son of David, have pity on me.” Jesus hears him and calls to the blind man, “What do you want me to do for you?” Bartimaeus’ clear and simple reply was, “Master, I want to see.” Jesus immediately responds to this request by saying, “Go your way; your faith has saved you.” How does this story affect each of us today, especially those of us who have felt that our prayers often go unanswered? Fr. Ron Rolheiser writes that our prayers aren’t always answered as swiftly and directly as we see in today’s reading, but they are always answered, as Jesus assures us, because God does not withhold the Holy Spirit from those who ask for it. If we pray for guidance and support, it will be given us. All of us, at different times in our lives, find ourselves alone, lost, confused, and tempted towards a road that will not lead to life. At such times we need to approach God with a prayer that is shamelessly honest, direct, and humble. Then, we need to wait, in patience and belief that God will place His answer to our prayers before us. We must remember that God responds in ways that align with His will for our lives, not our will. And that is often the rub – testing our ability to wait and to listen for “God’s still small voice” that can come from anyone or anywhere in His creative landscape.