Sunday 28th October (30B)

“WHAT DO YOU WANT ME TO DO FOR YOU?”
The Zebedean sons
wanted top position
in a realm they did not understand.
Nor did they understand
Jesus’ question
about their deepest desires.
Not so the son of Timaeus.
Yes, he wanted to be healed;
but his deepest desire?
To be made whole,
to experience the shalom,
the realm,
of the Holy One.

This marginal, blind beggar
can see what the sighted cannot.
He has no sense of what is proper:
his persistent, straight-forward expression of faith
is embarrassing to those around him.
(Sound uncomfortably familiar?)

And Jesus calls.
So, throwing off his garment,
his decency
and protection,
he comes to Jesus
with nothing but his faith
not knowing what Jesus will say or do.
“What do you want me to do for you?”
“My teacher, let me see again!”

Bartimaeus sees Jesus
and follows him on the way,
the way of wholeness
the way of life,
life in all its fullness:
the way of Jesus,
the way of the cross.
        © Jeff Shrowder, 2012.
  More for Sunday 30B…