Wednesday of the Second Week of Lent
Intention: For a spirit of compassion and generosity among all who are able to share what they have with others, especially with those who are most in need.
Today’s Gospel | Matthew 20:17-28
As Jesus was going up to Jerusalem, he took the Twelve disciples aside by themselves, and said to them on the way, “Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be handed over to the chief priests and the scribes, and they will condemn him to death, and hand him over to the Gentiles to be mocked and scourged and crucified, and he will be raised on the third day.”
Then 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.”
A Brief Lenten Reflection
When recalling from the Gospels Jesus’ many invitations to discipleship, it would be rare to find any that do not somehow require serving others. His teachings unfailingly link love of God with love of neighbor through serving them in their needs. In much of our society, service is defined as charity. While charitable giving accomplishes much good, it mainly is designed to provide comfort to those in need and not necessarily to undo the injustices that create their need. This can result in us responding to those in pain out of sympathy rather than with empathy. We feel badly for them, but never really have to move past thinking of them as “them”. Empathy, on the other hand, tells us that the suffering are not “them”, but are us, and that there is a transcendent bond between their dignity and ours. In this understanding, service is not about being randomly generous toward others but is a decision to stand in resolute solidarity with others. Author Rachel Naomi Remen writes, “When we serve, we see the unborn wholeness in others; we collaborate with it and strengthen it. Others may then be able to see their wholeness for themselves for the first time.” The time of Lent is an opportunity to reflect on our Gospel tradition of cum passio, of being with others in their struggle to regain their silenced voices, stolen dignity, lost freedom. Just as Jesus came to be a healing presence within the woundedness of the world, we are sent in his name to do the same.
Prayer
Eternal Father, on this day we ask that you bless us with a true spirit of service. Open our minds and hearts to the brokenness and suffering of our brothers and sisters throughout the world. May we never be hardened to their cries or to your call to answer them. Fill us with your spirit and the zeal to be the face of your compassion to others. We ask this of you who lives and reigns with your Son and the Holy Spirit, one god forever and ever. Amen.