What is it you want me to do for you?

“What is it you want me to do for you?”

Both Bartimaeus, and James and John, the sons of Zebedee, ask Jesus for gifts of His power. Bartimaeus asks for the gift of seeing, if it is within Christ's mercy. James and John ask for the power and glory to sit at Christ's side, to obtain reflective power and glory of Christ in his moments of glory.

Each man is seeking - one in faith and humility, the others so they may lord over others. One is following the way, the process of Christ; the others usurping the pompous idolatry of the world. Jesus' reply teaches truth.

Whatever Christ gives to us is a gift, a gift given in love, the gift of love emanating from God the Father/Creator of all. How we ask; how we use the gift - whether to see with the eyes of love, as potential vessel of love; or to make self hierarchical in the world, aggrandizing our own self-love - is always a struggle for us. Each must do the work of seeking the truth of self for self… the truth of our intended work within life on this earth. Henri J M Nouwen affirms this paradox when he says, "Jesus came to us to become as we are and left us to allow us to become as he is".... to become the manifested virtue embedded within each; to become a vessel for love entering earth.

Christ's reply is always true and good for humankind and for the whole of living earth. He always wants intimacy with us; he wants us to see the truth of love; he wants man to unmask our illusions of ourselves; he wants us to reach beyond the limits of that which we can do alone; he wants us to extend the gifts given beyond ourselves, to join with, to follow him in his work on this earth, join with him in glorifying God on this earth through taking up and accomplishing our intended work.

To take away all attachments that are obstacles to real growth and development is what we should pray for with humility. It is to surrender self from all the false images we have bound to our self, whether power over another, whether seeing ourselves as idols; whether the wordless image we project to the world, or the words of hate we say aloud. In making our plea to Christ for seeing the way, we must walk in prayerful perseverance, joyful expectation; ongoingly join in community dialogue, seeking to see particular intended ways of working of life and of love to which we are called.

Bartimaeus already had his unseen eyes opened; his interior eyes were opened into his heart; he could see with the eyes of faith. By throwing off his cloak to meet Christ he was willing to shed the things which held him back from following the intent of Christ for him. His heart was open to receiving the words of truth; there was room for Christ to enter, for love to enter and be shown to the world.

Within Thy kingdom on earth, we are all equal… equal at essence - equal in potential to take up our intended work and role on this earth. No rank among us. The only hierarchy is God. In Thy kingdom on this earth, we ongoingly join with one another in reflection, prayerful questioning, intentional dialogue… seeking to see the intended ways of working of life and of love; ongoingly answering “Yes” as community to becoming an instrument for the Father’s eternalizing life work on this earth… ongoingly fulfilling the prayer to the Father: “Thy kingdom come… on this earth as in heaven”… all of which becomes possible with community answering “Yes” to being a vessel for all-inclusive love entering earth.