Persevering to glory

Good News Reflection Wednesday of the 8th week in Ordinary Time March 2, 2011 Today’s Readings: Sirach 36:1, 4-5a, 10-17 Ps 79:8-9, 11, 13 (with Sirach 36:1b) Mark 10:32-45 http://www.usccb.org/nab/030211.shtml USCCB Podcast of the Readings: http://ccc.usccb.org/cccradio/NABPodcasts/11_03_02.mp3 Persevering to glory In today's Gospel story, Jesus is leading his disciples toward Jerusalem and he is leading his own feet toward the most severe persecution he ever faced. He knew the sacrifice he'd have to make. Are we willing to accept hardships for the sake of doing God's work? We are if we really want to love others as Jesus loves them. Meanwhile, James and John wanted to achieve spiritual glory the easy way. They wanted to be honored with Jesus in his kingdom, and they wanted to get there just by asking for it. But such glory comes only after sacrifice. There is no easy road to sainthood, no shortcut to the prestige or supernatural gifts of God's kingdom. We have to follow Jesus to the cross if we want to reach the glory that awaits those who are victorious over evil. Have you ever wondered why God doesn't snap his almighty fingers to make your problems go away instantly? Instead, he leads you deeper INTO the problem – true? It's not because he wants you to suffer. The Father did not want Jesus to suffer, but it was the only way that humankind could be redeemed. If we really want God to redeem the bad situations in our lives, we have to accept that the way to get there is through the cross. We have to be willing to endure the difficulties, and in enduring them, learn patience, and in learning patience, develop unconditional love for troublemakers, and in developing unconditional love, become more fully united with God who IS love. Jesus told James and John that they would be baptized by pain. What does baptism do? Water baptisms give us rebirth by drowning our sinful nature and raising us up to full life in God. Baptism by being immersed deeper into our problems also drowns our sinful nature – if we go through it with Jesus – and this redeems the situation much more gloriously than if God had ended it early with a snap of his fingers. (Note: If you're in an abusive relationship, God is NOT asking you to carry this cross. It's not loving to anyone. God is asking you to get away to a safe place where you can insist that the abuser seek professional help. Only after real change takes place – real healing in both of you – will it be time for a resurrected relationship.) By drinking of the same cup that Jesus accepted, we discover that we've never been more intimate with Jesus, because we're closest to him when we join him in everything – including the cross. But when we exclude the cross, trying to take the easy route, we turn our backs on the Savior who loved us so much that he suffered a horrible death for us. Are you willing to accept the hardships of true Christian living? Rejoice, for God will raise up many blessings from your sacrifices! © 2011 by Terry A. Modica This work is NOT in Public Domain and may NOT be copied without permission. You may print one copy for your own personal use. For PERMISSION and info on how to copy this reflection for sharing, see: http://gogoodnews.net/DailyReflections/copyrights-DR.htm Seeking a past reflection? Click this button to register for the searchable Archive Library of the Good News Reflections. One week access is free to subscribers of these emailed reflections.

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