Twenty-ninth Sunday in Ordinary Time
It was eight years back. I was officially appointed associate pastor at St. Helen and Immaculate Conception Parishes. Fr. Dave entrusted much of the administrative responsibility of IC to me. Huge challenges stood before me. The community needed to rebuilt bottom up, faith formation programs needed to be revamped and the parish had a $320,000 debt. I was confident that through sheer hard work, commitment and the volunteerism of our parishioners the community could be built up. However, I was genuinely concerned about the debt. I took James and John’s approach in today’s gospel reading. I pray, “Lord, I want you to do for me whatever I ask you.” You may not believe this, but I even bought lottery tickets and prayed that God may ease our burden by making me win the lottery. Well, as you probably know, I never won the lottery. But something far greater happened. This community rallied together under and banner of discipleship, developed a vision, strived to live the gospel message, repaid the debt within four years and today is a growing, vibrant and diverse community of disciples. I believe that, had I won the lottery and paid off the debt, this community would not have the character it has today. Our struggles and our hard work taught us commitment, generosity, sacrificial giving and dependence on God.
Let me put today’s readings in a context. The way the gospel of Mark is written, the central question of the Gospel occurs in Mark 8: 29. Jesus asked his disciples the question, “Who do you say that I am?” Once Peter made the messianic confession, Jesus began to reveal the real nature of his messiahship. Three times after the Petrine confession, Jesus predicts his suffering, death and resurrection. James and John’s “Whatever we ask you,” question occurs after the third passion prediction. Jesus asked a counter-question. He said, “Can you drink of the cup from which I will drink? Can you be a servant first and learn to face struggles like I do?”
I would like to draw three practical implications from today’s readings.
1. Life is Real. Let me tell you about a few struggles that are pre-occupying my mind these days. I prayed with a mother of three young children whom the doctors have given one month to live. Her cancer will kill her. My “American dad” has been diagnosed with colon cancer and life changed within the matter of a day. One of my best friends is recovering my breast cancer. In the last month I have spoken to two couples who are trying to rebuild their lives after infidelity in the relationship. The struggles are incredibly hard. I also know numerous families whose financial burdens have driven them to the food pantry. How is it that in this rich nation there is hunger? And then I have my personal struggles – my anxiety about my aging mother and father and their health, the struggles to please everyone in our parishes, my own limitation in faith. I am sure you have your own share of struggles. Put your hands up if you one of those people who does not feel like praying, “Lord, we want you to do for us whatever we ask you.” How good would it be if our struggles would simply disappear? It is easy for us to ridicule James and John for their request to Jesus. However, my struggles have made do the same.
2. It is Not All Bad. For me, the reality of the Christian scripture comes partly because of the story it tells. The Christian story does not alienate struggles from its plot. The Christian story does not focus on merely on the glamorous, but rather, finds a meaningful place for struggles in human life. For example, today’s first and second readings are generally read on Good Friday. The first reading from Isaiah tells us about the “suffering servant.” “Because of his affliction he shall see the light in fullness of days; through his suffering, my servant shall justify many…” (Is 53:11). As I said earlier, Jesus tells his disciples three times about his own impending suffering for the salvation of the world. In the Christian story, suffering is redemptive. Jesus invites James and John “to drink the cup that he will drink and to be baptized with the baptism with which he will be baptized.” Our instinctive approach to life is, “Lord, we want you to do for us whatever we ask.” But then, without our struggles we would not be who we are today. It is our struggle that builds our faith, our character, our strength, our courage, our endurance, and our beliefs. Our struggles help us to empathize with others and understand their pain. Our struggles help us to be committed, hardworking, generous and compassionate people. Sometimes struggles can bring out the worst in human beings, but most often, it brings out the best. Today, if we feel like being James and John, perhaps Jesus is asking us to lift up our eyes and see beyond our struggles.
3. Approaching the Throne of Grace. In the the midst of our struggles, one of the most profound statements in the letter to the Hebrews is found in today’s second reading. The author says, “For we not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who has similarly been tested in every way….” So let us approach the throne of grace to receive mercy and to find grace for timely help” (Hebrews 4: 16). I believe that James and John’s request before Jesus was a sign of their confidence in Christ. Perhaps, they were looking for the easy way out, but I admire their confidence. They were simply being themselves in God’s presence. James and John teach me to approach God with confidence. James and John teach me to not hide from God or to be afraid of being stupid in God’s presence. Yes, life is hard, but I can be myself in God’s presence. I can approach the throne of grace without being afraid to be who I am. When approach the throne of grace.
Let me conclude by repeating the words from Hebrews: “So let us confidently approach the throne of grace to receive mercy and to find grace for timely help.” This altar is the throne of grace. Here we relive the suffering, death and resurrection of the suffering servant of God. Let us approach this throne of grace “to receive mercy and to find grace for timely help”. Amen.