The events that Jesus predicts before his second coming are terrifying. But he urges his disciples to be vigilant and pray. He wants us not to be surprised, but rather fully awake and aware.
With dramatic irony, today's scene in John’s Gospel highlights a very different kind of kingship. Jesus stands before the world testifying to the truth about God, and invites us into his reign, which is not of this world.
Scripture scholars suggest that this chapter of Mark reflects in part the chaotic times in which Mark’s community lived—perhaps in the midst of Roman persecution. Christians must have wondered if the end was near.
It’s important for each of us in the community to share generously in order for our local Church—as well as the global Church—to do the work of the Kingdom.
In our world if we focus on God first, then on loving others because of our relationship with God, we’ll have our priorities straight. And then we can properly evaluate everything else.
Like Bartimaeus, each of us is a person with some degree of faith. Like him, we want to see. Our deepest wishes, our courage when we take a risk, are all inside of us like they were in Bartimaeus.
The humanness of the disciples gives us hope that God will work in our lives and will patiently remind us--as Jesus does today--that true greatness comes through serving others.
To take the risk of letting go in a society that promotes “conspicuous consumption”, is indeed an impossible task without God’s help. And yet there’s an element of the Kingdom that pushes us to consider just that.
