March 4, 2015 Wednesday: 2nd Week of Lent B
A Lenten Pilgrimage, March 4, 2015 Wednesday: 2nd Week of Lent B
The mother of the sons of Zebedee came to him with her sons, and kneeling before him, she asked a favor of him. And he said to her, "What do you want?" She said to him, "Declare that these two sons of mine will sit, one at your right hand and one at your left, in your kingdom." But Jesus answered, "You do not know what you are asking. Are you able to drink the cup that I am about to drink?'' (Matt 20:20-23)
Were you ever given something that you were not prepared to receive--even though you thought you were prepared? A week after the funeral of her father's death, a well-wisher came to the daughter of the deceased and said, "Don't you wish your dad could come back and be with you?" The daughter replied, "No, then my dad would have to go through the dying process again." Before her dad became ill, the daughter thought that she had prepared herself for the day when she would be able to walk the journey with her parents. But when it came, she was not prepared to see the suffering that journey involved.
Think of a situation in life where you eagerly said 'yes' to a commitment or a responsibility. The wedding day, the day of priesthood ordination, or the day you accepted a new job come to mind. James and John in the Gospel thought they were ready for the glory that came with being the disciples of Jesus--their mother thought so too. But Jesus asked this poignant question, "Are you able to drink the cup that I am about to drink?" The brothers eagerly said 'yes,' not knowing what it all involved. When Blessed Mother said 'yes' at the Annunciation, she did not know ahead of time all the suffering that 'yes' would bring. It required of her a deep faith and trust in God's grace to follow through with her commitment. We too are asked to have that deep faith and trust as Blessed Mother had. We have said 'yes' to God, to our family, to our community in various ways. Does any of that commitment frighten us because of the suffering involved? In the end, although James and John did not understand the implication of their 'yes,' they did follow Jesus' path of suffering. They weren't alone in their journey; there were many who assisted them to accomplish what God asked them to do. Bishop's words to a man about to be ordained to priesthood applies to all of us, "May God who has begun the good work in you bring it to fulfillment."
Fr Paul Yi
The mother of the sons of Zebedee came to him with her sons, and kneeling before him, she asked a favor of him. And he said to her, "What do you want?" She said to him, "Declare that these two sons of mine will sit, one at your right hand and one at your left, in your kingdom." But Jesus answered, "You do not know what you are asking. Are you able to drink the cup that I am about to drink?'' (Matt 20:20-23)
Were you ever given something that you were not prepared to receive--even though you thought you were prepared? A week after the funeral of her father's death, a well-wisher came to the daughter of the deceased and said, "Don't you wish your dad could come back and be with you?" The daughter replied, "No, then my dad would have to go through the dying process again." Before her dad became ill, the daughter thought that she had prepared herself for the day when she would be able to walk the journey with her parents. But when it came, she was not prepared to see the suffering that journey involved.
Think of a situation in life where you eagerly said 'yes' to a commitment or a responsibility. The wedding day, the day of priesthood ordination, or the day you accepted a new job come to mind. James and John in the Gospel thought they were ready for the glory that came with being the disciples of Jesus--their mother thought so too. But Jesus asked this poignant question, "Are you able to drink the cup that I am about to drink?" The brothers eagerly said 'yes,' not knowing what it all involved. When Blessed Mother said 'yes' at the Annunciation, she did not know ahead of time all the suffering that 'yes' would bring. It required of her a deep faith and trust in God's grace to follow through with her commitment. We too are asked to have that deep faith and trust as Blessed Mother had. We have said 'yes' to God, to our family, to our community in various ways. Does any of that commitment frighten us because of the suffering involved? In the end, although James and John did not understand the implication of their 'yes,' they did follow Jesus' path of suffering. They weren't alone in their journey; there were many who assisted them to accomplish what God asked them to do. Bishop's words to a man about to be ordained to priesthood applies to all of us, "May God who has begun the good work in you bring it to fulfillment."
Fr Paul Yi
