2nd WEDNESDAY OF LENT - Gospel (Matthew 20:17-28) - THE WORD OF GOD FOR EVERYONE
- NHA CHUA CHA
- 2 days ago
- 6 min read
FIRST READING - Jer 18:18-20
"Let us destroy him by his own tongue."
A reading from the Book of Jeremiah
18 “Come,” they said, “let us devise a plot against Jeremiah, for instruction will not perish from the priests, nor counsel from the wise, nor the word from the prophets. Come, let us destroy him by his own tongue. Let us pay careful attention to his every word.”
19 Pay attention to me, O Lord,
and listen to what my adversaries say.
20 Must good be repaid with evil
that they should dig a pit to take my life?
Remember that I stood before you
to speak on their behalf,
to turn your wrath away from them.
GOSPEL OF THE DAY - Mt 20:17-28
"They will condemn him to death."
✠From the Gospel according to Matthew
17 As Jesus was going up to Jerusalem, he took the twelve [disciples] aside by themselves, and said to them on the way, 18 “Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be handed over to the chief priests and the scribes, and they will condemn him to death, 19 and hand him over to the Gentiles to be mocked and scourged and crucified, and he will be raised on the third day.”
[a] 20 Then the mother[b] of the sons of Zebedee approached him with her sons and did him homage, wishing to ask him for something. 21 He said to her, “What do you wish?” She answered him, “Command that these two sons of mine sit, one at your right and the other at your left, in your kingdom.” 22 Jesus said in reply, “You do not know what you are asking.[c] Can you drink the cup that I am going to drink?” They said to him, “We can.” 23 He replied, “My cup you will indeed drink, but to sit at my right and at my left [, this] is not mine to give but is for those for whom it has been prepared by my Father.” 24 When the ten heard this, they became indignant at the two brothers. 25 But Jesus summoned them and said, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and the great ones make their authority over them felt. 26 But it shall not be so among you. Rather, whoever wishes to be great among you shall be your servant; 27 whoever wishes to be first among you shall be your slave. 28 Just so, the Son of Man did not come to be served but to serve and to give his life as a ransom[d] for many.”
2nd WEDNESDAY OF LENT - Gospel (Matthew 20:17-28)
THE WORD OF GOD FOR EVERYONE
Dear people of God,
Today's Word of God, God the Father calls all humanity to follow the example of Jesus Christ by humbling ourselves to serve our brothers and sisters in a selfless way.
For though He is God, He is the All, He is the life, and the Lord of the entire universe and this whole earth, yet He still humbled Himself to serve His brothers and sisters selflessly, He stooped down to endure scourging, sacrifice, and death to save humanity from eternal death.
To attain eternal life, God the Father teaches humanity a single and supreme path: to love God above all things and to love our brothers and sisters selflessly, without rivalry, without calculation, without demand for equality, humbling ourselves to serve our brothers and sisters selflessly, according to God's call and following the example of Jesus Christ, who came into this world not to be served but to serve and to offer His life to redeem humanity.
Today's Word of God continues to teach us to humble ourselves to serve our brothers and sisters selflessly. That is what today's Word of God emphasizes repeatedly: it is to serve, to love, to forgive, to be kind, to be faithful, to be meek, and to be temperate. Why is that? Because to enter the Kingdom of Heaven, we must let go of all worldly things, namely: the passion for power, fame, wealth, status, and authority.
As today's Word of God presented a story of a mother with her two sons, John and James. These people followed Christ, yet they still retain their human nature, believing that Jesus would become an earthly king in a worldly sense. Therefore, the mother, very wise in a worldly sense: asking for her sons do this and that (to be granted positions of power and prestige).
This story is a classic example of people in today's world.
When following God, do not be consumed by the passion for power, fame, or status, for these things do not come from God. Only those for whom God has prepared will receive it.
The duty of a human is to simply live and strive to please God in all things, from the greatest to the smallest, and from the smallest to the greatest.
All things are works bestowed by God the Father; therefore, everything must be directed towards Him and must strive to please Him in all places and at all times.
Even a small task can please God the Father when a person directs themselves towards Him.
It's not only those who hold great positions in the Church or in society who please Him!
Not so! All are children of God, and He loves everyone fairly according to His will; no one is at a disadvantage or superior here.
For this reason, God the Father calls all His children, when working for Him in the Church or in society, to do everything with love for God and neighbor, acting with the full conscience and moral sense that God the Father has gratuitously bestows and created within humanity.
Do everything out of love and compassion for our brothers and sisters, without rivalry, without calculation, without conditions. Trust that God sees everything, for God the Father knows the depths of every heart! Therefore, have a heart that is loving, kind, and merciful, full of selflessness, humility, self-abasement, and simplicity.
Today's Word of God teaches everyone in this world to stop being envious, stop competing for superiority, stop harboring hatred, stop sowing division, stop condemning, and stop judging one another any longer. Instead, be humble, stoop down to serve our brothers and sisters gratuitously, following the sacrificial and self-giving example of Jesus Christ.
Stop accumulating and hoarding material possessions, power, and worldly honors for ourselves any longer; let them go, release them, for these things do not bring eternal life in the Kingdom of Heaven to humanity.
Just as Jesus Christ taught and warned His disciples in the past, He does the same in the present day:
Whoever wishes to be great must be a servant to our brothers and sisters, and whoever wants to be first must be the last of all.
Do not be arrogant, do not think too highly of yourself, do not think that you can do this or that, or have power over this person or that person.
Not so! All of these things are the insidious temptations brought by Satan. Cast them out of our hearts and minds so that we may sacrifice, to serve, and to always see ourselves as small and simple before God the Father and our brothers and sisters.
Sacrifice and give gratuitously, without calculating gain or loss, so that God the Father may reward us in the Kingdom of Heaven. For all that God the Father has promised to bestow, He will be faithful to His promise for humanity:
Whoever serves gratuitously, whoever lays down their life, will be granted life in the Kingdom of Heaven by God the Father.
Whoever humbles themselves and sacrifices themselves to serve their brothers and sisters selflessly, following the example of Jesus Christ, He will grant them eternal life in the Kingdom of Heaven hereafter.
Today’s Word of God calls His disciples in this new age to sacrifice and serve gratuitously; become servants of God and our brothers and sisters without seeking reward; do not exalt ourselves, do not crave worldly fame, profit, or high office, nor seek to be great in this world.
Always acknowledge that we are small and of no account before God the Father and our brothers and sisters.
Recognize that we are but a zero before God the Father and our brothers and sisters; only then can we serve them gratuitously and following the example of Jesus Christ alone.
Thanks be to God. Amen.
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