Wednesday of the Second Week of Lent
SUFFERING OF THE PROPHET
A prophet is always an annoying person. His mission is to call attention to the signs of the times – to denounce what no one dares to denounce, to prod into action when all stand still and like to take it easy. His task is unpleasant and he carries it out reluctantly. For he is a scared man. He pleads to be excused. For he always gets into trouble. He may even be killed. That was the lot of the prophets before him and then, Jesus’ lot – but through his death, he won glory and brought life. Those who follow him, however timid they may be as prophets, have to share in this suffering-toward-life. They must at least learn to serve; they must learn that even dedicated service often brings suffering.
Reading 1: Jeremiah 18:18-23
And I said to God:
“God, listen to me!
Just listen to what my enemies are saying.
Should I get paid evil for good?
That’s what they’re doing. They’ve made plans to kill me!
Remember all the times I stood up for them before you,
speaking up for them,
trying to soften your anger?
But enough! Let their children starve!
Let them be massacred in battle!
Let their wives be childless and widowed,
their friends die and their proud young men be killed.
Let cries of panic sound from their homes
as you surprise them with war parties!
They’re all set to lynch me.
The noose is practically around my neck!
But you know all this, God.
You know they’re determined to kill me.
Don’t whitewash their crimes,
don’t overlook a single sin!
Round the bunch of them up before you.
Strike while the iron of your anger is hot!”
Gospel: Matthew 20:17-28
Prayer
Lord, our God,
your prophets remind us,
in season and out of season,
of our responsibilities toward you
and toward the world of people.
When they disturb and upset us,
let it be a holy disturbance
that makes us restless and eager to do your will
to bring justice and love around us.
We ask you this through Christ, our Lord.
Reflection:
8 March 2023
Matthew 20:17-28
Do you desire to be the greatest?
Jesus strides ahead towards Jerusalem. He knows what awaits him in Jerusalem and has already spoken to his disciples about his impending torture, suffering and death. Jesus says that the religious leaders of the Jewish people will condemn Him to death and hand him over to the Gentiles, and he will be killed. Who would dare to walk up to his enemies when one is certain that they would kill them? But Jesus is not scared of the suffering that awaits him.
It is a profound teaching about suffering. When we try to avoid sufferings at all costs, we will spend a lifetime running, but it will catch up with us anyway; then, we will be the unwilling victims of suffering. But when sustained by the example and the grace of Christ, we choose to face the sufferings of our life head-on, and we become heroes of faith.
The disciples are bent on becoming heroes in the Kingdom of Jesus. The desire of James and John to have important positions ahead of the rest of the ten under the reign of Jesus was not well received by the rest. There was a potential threat of division among them. Jesus grabs the opportunity to give an essential teaching on humility.
You want to be great?” says Jesus, “Then change your attitude:
* Quit thinking about how much status you have over other people.
* Quit thinking about how much more intelligence or academic degrees you have over others.
* Quit thinking in terms of how much ability you have to manipulate and control the results.
* Quit thinking about how high a position you hold in relation to others and how many people you can command from that position.
* It doesn’t matter what family or clan you belong to, or how long you’ve been a member of the Church or even how much better you could lead than those in the current leadership.”
* Without love and a heart to serve, those things are all worth nothing. (cf. 1 Cor. 13)
The lives of apostles in the early Church were examples of the lessons learned from the Master. Their desire to be great and powerful was to be channelled into service and relationships. The example of Jesus, who taught them to wash one another’s feet transformed them to be at the service of the community.
Greatness in God’s kingdom comes through humility and service! The Lenten season reminds us to seek humility and service and be like Jesus. Let us challenge ourselves to live out the Word of God today by finding ways to serve others.