Matthew 20:17-28
In today’s Gospel Reading, we are reminded of the sacrifice Jesus made for us as he describes the events that are to befall him once he and his disciples arrive in Jerusalem. The persecution, crucifixion and resurrection of Christ is the ultimate sacrifice made for us. It is easy to focus on the suffering and temptations Jesus faced during his time in the desert, as well as his sacrifice on the Cross, however, we need to focus on the reason why he endured all that suffering - the reason is Love.
In today’s Gospel Reading, we are reminded of the sacrifice Jesus made for us as he describes the events that are to befall him once he and his disciples arrive in Jerusalem. The persecution, crucifixion and resurrection of Christ is the ultimate sacrifice made for us. It is easy to focus on the suffering and temptations Jesus faced during his time in the desert, as well as his sacrifice on the Cross, however, we need to focus on the reason why he endured all that suffering - the reason is Love.
Towards the end of the reading the sense of love is embodied through the words of Jesus:
“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.”
The idea of service is central to the life and death of Christ. The Son of Man came down from heaven to live among us, to feel what we feel, to suffer as we suffer and to serve us, and to show us how we should serve each other. We often hear that Jesus died for our sins, but another important reason that he endured all this suffering and death is because he loves us so deeply.
I find it very hard to maintain my Lenten Sacrifice each year. Usually around this time I have given into temptation or laziness and have broken my sacrifice - this year it didn’t even last a week. However, today’s reading shows us that we don’t have to solely focus on the sacrifices Jesus made for us. By embracing the awesome power of Jesus’s love for us and living by the lessons of service that Jesus has taught us, we can focus on the love Christ has for us and understand why he endured so much suffering for the betterment of humanity.
Michael Conlon ‘21
What better way to imitate Christ's love for us than to return that love through everyday servanthood. Each day offers a new opportunity to pay it forward.
ReplyDeleteServant-hood does not come naturally but Jesus gave countless examples of how we should behave. I try to be alert and help others I see in need but I miss more opportunities than I care to admit. All I can do is learn from my failures and try not to repeat them. John F. Longo class of 61.
ReplyDeleteMichael, you've captured something that is often missed - that Jesus did what He did because he LOVES us! And, while Lenten sacrifices, for some, are important, the love we show, through service to others is certainly something that we can all aspire to during Lent. Thank you for the reminder. - Sue Mulderrig
ReplyDeleteAmen to all of the above comments.
ReplyDelete