“What do you want me to do for you?”

by | 20 October 2024

30th Sunday in Ordinary Time
 

Sisters and Brothers in Christ,
As leaders entrusted with authority and resources, part of our job is responding constantly to requests, so it’s natural that after a while, we might begin to presume to know what people need and to give them what we think they want. But Jesus knows better…

“What do you want me to do for you?” Jesus asked Bartimaeus, the man born blind (Mark 10:46-52). Maybe this strikes us as a surprising question, given how obvious the man’s situation was, but nonetheless, Jesus asked the question. Why?

First of all, Jesus sees each person who he encounters as someone with their own inherent dignity and gifts, with a story to tell, and their own particular needs, desires, and hopes. Even if people approach him with their hands outstretched in desperate need, he does not see or treat them with any less dignity. Jesus does not reduce people into general categories or presume what it is they desire most, even though he could perceive with great sensitivity and compassion each person’s mind and heart. Jesus understands how powerful it is for each person to name for themselves what it is that they desire.

So, Jesus asks, and he listens. And when he responds with a miraculous intervention, he does something else that is quite surprising. He credits the faith of the person rather than taking credit himself, usually inviting them to express their thanks to his Father. He understands the value and importance of gratitude. To express gratitude shows respect for mutuality in relationships and recognizes the gratuity of gifts freely given. 

Not only that, but he provides pathways for people to translate their gratitude into action through discipleship, giving them the opportunity to contribute their gifts and talents as participants in his mission. When the inspiration for discipleship comes from a place of sincere and humble gratitude rather than quid pro quo reciprocity or a sense of obligation, it too is offered freely and even joyfully. In this way, Jesus is constantly gathering new members to his team.

How might this example of Jesus be instructive for us?

As we consider the concrete implications of synodality, one of the most central questions that we have explored in the Synod is the role of priests and bishops in the service of their people. A closely related question: in what ways could the synodal conversion of the Church create new pathways for the missionary service of lay women and men, so that the service and proclamation of the Good News to the world might be expanded? 

What if, like Jesus, bishops, pastors, and priests really see their sibling People of God in their true dignity, help them identify their gifts, inspire the desire to express these gifts in service, and help create spaces and pathways for those gifts to be offered in service of the Good News, both inside and outside of the Church? 

What if, like Jesus, parents, teachers, and anyone entrusted with formal authority were to serve their people as coaches and mentors do, spotting talent, nudging people out of their comfort zones, encouraging the timid, taming the over-bold, and supporting others in bringing forth their gifts for the greater good?

Having worked as a parish priest for several years, there were some overworked moments when I thought that the whole mission of the Church was on my shoulders alone. But with my eyes opened by grace (and a few good night’s sleep), I could see clearly the incredible gifts and generosity of the People of God, of whom I am simply a single person. I could see how limited my own contribution might be. But together as a Body of Christ, we could do something extraordinary for our Church, our community, our wider society. 

This is one way that the synodal conversion of the Church enables us to expand the service of our mission, bringing the Good News to people who are far off and sometimes struggling in dark places. It is a way of building our forces for the service of those who are poor, or who are in need of justice, and of addressing the crisis of our common home, the earth. It is a way of together reading the signs of the times in the light of the Gospel and discerning how to respond with generosity, courage, and creativity.

As we mark the close of the Synod on Synodality and look to the next phases of this synodal conversion of the Church, we have to take the long view. Along the way, how do we continue opening our eyes to see the possibilities that this conversion has for the service of the mission of the Church in the world? How do we truly see others so as to help them to see their own gifts and find places to put them to use on Jesus’ team and for his goal, the Kingdom of God?

With you on the road together,

David and the Discerning Leadership Team

Tags in the article:
Executive Director of the Program for Discerning Leadership

Team and Partners

Our Story

Pin It on Pinterest