SAINT JOHN OF GOD, RELIGIOUS (OPTIONAL MEMORIAL)

Command that these two sons of mine sit, one at your right and the other at your left, in your kingdom.

Mothers always want the best for their children, and the mother of James and John was no different. If her sons were going to give up everything to follow Jesus, she wanted them to be rewarded with the privilege of sitting at his right and left side when he came into his kingdom!

Jesus’ response must have caught her completely by surprise. He said that he had no control over where her sons would sit. And if it was beyond his control, then it was certainly beyond her control! What she and her sons should have really been focusing on was being last, not first; being a servant, not a master.

That might have been tough for this mother to hear. Sometimes it’s hard for us to hear, too. After all, we like to have things our own way. We like to be recognized. But we can turn things around if we practice letting go of control and letting go of our own plans. We can become more humble if we practice trusting and accepting God’s plan. We can imitate Jesus as we find opportunities to serve and not look for recognition.

Lent is a great opportunity to embrace this process more deeply and to seek the Holy Spirit’s help. For example, let’s say you’re stuck in traffic when you’re in a hurry to get somewhere. Instead of focusing on your frustration, realize that you’ve been given a few extra minutes to pray. Or you can pay attention to how you react when you don’t receive some affirmation you thought you deserved for a good deed. Let the Spirit strengthen your heart to continue serving even if no one notices. Or when your prayers are not answered as you expected, ask the Spirit to help you trust that God can bring something good out of the situation nevertheless (Romans 8:28).

We all want to become more like Jesus and to learn to follow his plan for our lives. And that’s a lifelong quest! But we can trust God to help us surrender control. We can trust that his plan for us really is what’s best for us.

“Lord, help me to do your will in all things.”

Jeremiah 18:18-20
Psalm 31:5-6, 14-16
Matthew 20:17-28