From time to time, each of us encounters our human limitations. As I age, I become frustrated at what sometimes takes me twice the time to accomplish half of what I might have done as a younger person. Take today, for instance. I went to work at 5AM with one task in mind—to clean some storage rooms that the General Manager has been having trouble getting done due to personnel budgetary concerns—I was going to give him some of my time that I normally would have used for a day off. There were 13 rooms to clean and in my prime I could clean a room in about 20 minutes—tops! So I figured at 3 rooms per hour I could break for lunch (breakfast) at 9AM then do the paperwork I’ve been neglecting all week then go home at about noon. Well, I learned two new things today. First, my body doesn’t like physical labor at 5AM and it told me so by giving me a terrific headache accompanied by sore muscles before 6AM. Second, it’s too dark at 5AM even in the Summer to be effective outside. I was still working on my first room at noon! 7 hours! But in my defense, the room had not been cleaned in over 8 years. A long time customer recently moved out. I went to lunch at noon feeling pretty frustrated. I needed the time to step back and re-evaluate my performance today.
When I got back from lunch I decided I was going to apologize to the manager for not accomplishing as much as I set out to do. He was great. He said he appreciated my offer of help and getting that one room “out of his hair” was a huge help! It made me realize that my efforts had been noticed and appreciated. Sometimes that’s all I need to keep going.
When I’m at the ‘top of my game’, feeling great and full of energy, I can easily become convinced of my own power and gifts, and perhaps forget to step back to recognize that it is the gifts of God’s spirit within me, through me and, at times, in spite of myself that allows others to truly know God’s presence in our world.
It’s easy to resonate with today’s reading from Paul as he speaks of carrying the treasure of God’s message in earthen vessels, “…afflicted in every way, but not crushed, full of doubts, but never despairing…struck down, but never destroyed….So then, death is at work in us, but life is at work in you.”
2 Cor 4:7-15
How do I/we meet the challenges of our own limitations, whether in our physical bodies, and /or in the struggles and restrictions of our life situations? Paul reminds us that it is actually through our human frailties that God’s presence and potential can be recognized.
However, I must first recognize and open myself to God’s spirit and presence within me, in order to let God’s life-giving energy flow. I think this is what today’s Gospel passage suggests.
Mt 20:20-28
The mother of the sons of Zebedee approached Jesus with her sons and did him homage, wishing to ask him for something. He said to her, "What do you wish?" She answered him, "Command that these two sons of mine sit, one at your right and the other at your left, in your Kingdom."
Jesus said in reply, "You do not know what you are asking. Can you drink the chalice that I am going to drink?" They said to him, "We can." He replied, "My chalice you will indeed drink, but to sit at my right and at my left, this is not mine to give but is for those for whom it has been prepared by my Father." When the ten heard this, they became indignant at the two brothers. But Jesus summoned them and said, "You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and the great ones make their authority over them felt. But it shall not be so among you. Rather, whoever wishes to be great among you shall be your servant; whoever wishes to be first among you shall be your slave. Just so, the Son of Man did not come to be served but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many."
James and John’s mother seeks a place of honor in the Kingdom for her sons from Jesus. Jesus questions whether or not the sons can truly accept what such an honor entails, but also reminds all that it is God who knows how we shall enter the Kingdom. However, Jesus is very clear: God’s invitation through Jesus is for each of us to serve one another. Our gifts, talents and powers are not for our own glory, but for others, for the community. Anyone desiring greatness in God’s sight must serve others.
How do I approach God with my needs, desires, wants, and fears? How else? With prayer! And with prayer, we have to listen for His will.
I pray that I can learn to be ‘ok’ with my human limitations, but also know that the talents, gifts and presence that are God’s presence in me will be life giving to all if I continue to remember to live for and with others.
I think this will be particularly helpful starting tomorrow, because it will be my first visit (with another Eucharistic Minister) to the hospital to visit and pray with those who are not as fortunate as I am to see Jesus every day at Mass. Please pray that as I begin this pastoral ministry God will give me the graces I need to do His will.
No comments:
Post a Comment