Daily Reflections ...

Yesterday, in Matthew 23, we saw Jesus critiquing our tendency to miss the point of the life he calls us to and to use what he is offering to get what we want. The request from the mother of James and John (the sons of Zebedee) reflects that tendency. It is hard to resist.

We should not be too hard on James and John or their mother. Their concern is natural, particularly during the early stages of the Christian spiritual life. During these early stages, we can relate to faith as some deal. It appears to us that we have made an effort to believe in God despite everything that the world throws at us, and we are trying hard to live a good life. It only seems fitting that God needs to do his bit and give us what we think we need.

This approach is not sustainable. God wishes you to be with him for eternity. The only way you will be capable of that is if you develop the capacity to love God for who he is and not just for what he can do for you. Each of us needs to get beyond the ‘deal’ mentality.

A prayer commonly associated with St Francis of Assisi runs counter to the culture we find ourselves in. Our culture is one of self-reliance, self-provision and making ‘things happen’. We think we want fame, riches, power, abundance and so on, but the only thing that will truly satisfy us is to be like Jesus, the servant of all. A person who can serve in love is already in heaven.

by Shane Dwyer