Know What You Want

On his way to Jerusalem to die,
Jesus does a final miracle.
Bartimaeus cries out repeatedly,
“Have mercy on me!”
The only two times in Mark
That “mercy” shows up.

Was it for the strangeness of the request
That Jesus summoned him?
Not self-focused, “Blind, pity me,”
But Jesus-focused. “Son of David, mercy!”

“What do you want me to do for you?”
I wonder if the crowd listened, bemused:
The man is blind, and Jesus wonders what he wants?

Bartimaeus wants his sight.
Jesus says, “Your faith has made you whole.”
I wonder if the man had more healing
Than just his sight. (How many sighted people
Would claim to be whole?)
Then Bartimaeus followed Jesus,
Probably for life. (After all, Mark knows his name.)

I wonder: if Jesus asked me,
“What do you want me to do for you?”
Would I have an answer ready?