Wednesday of 2nd Week of Lent – Jer 18:18-20; Ps 30:5-6; Matthew 20:17-28
“. . . whoever would be great among you must be your servant, and whoever would be first among you must be your slave . . .”
Jesus speaks to them about important matters, He tells them about His death, about His suffering, and they occupy themselves with their own issues. In the name of her sons, the Mother of James and John asks Jesus for favouritism, she wants her sons to take the best places in heaven. The other apostles also react in a worldly way, that are outraged and quickly judge the brothers. Jesus rebukes them all. He then gives a most beautiful teaching, which they will sometime realise in their lives when they preach the Gospel: to become servants and not seek to be first.
In these words, Jesus also warns us. How many conflicts would we have been able to avoid, if we knew how to accept the attitude of a servant, if we knew how to put aside our opinions and need to be right in the situation, which is not required and only leads to misunderstandings. In relating to others, we would have to give up attitudes of pretensions, self-importance and aggression. Because selfishness and pride only arouse confusion and disagreement. How are we to fight it?
Think about situations which gave rise to conflict.
- How often have I tried to make my opinion, my reasons to count?
- How many of my pretensions and constant grievances were there in these situations?
- How did I react when I was wrong?
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