Lenten Reflections

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By Br. Celestine Hettrick, O.S.B., Chapel Art Center

You know the type. The person who doesn't take a hint. Even straight and direct speech goes right over their head, or in one ear and out the other. They may nod and smile in agreement, and say words of positive confirmation, “yes”, “I understand”, or, “totally”, but then they say or do something that shows ...they...just...don’t... get...it.... Interactions like these probably leave you frustrated and wondering, “Is this the real world, or am I living in a sitcom?”

Listening to the Gospel from Mathew today, try treating it like a sitcom. The Bible is not known for its jokes, in fact, other than the last verse of the Book of Jonah, there may not be any. But there is plenty of situational or interpersonal humor once you start looking. Jesus takes his disciples aside and says directly to them that he is going to suffer persecution, be crucified, die, and rise again. But soon after he tells them, they show they simply do not get it, to an outrageous degree.

The disciples that Jesus chose, know he is the Messiah, and are expecting him to become a glorious king like David. But when he tells them otherwise, it goes in one ear and out the other. James and John still want seats of power next to Jesus on an earthly throne. But they are too cowardly to ask. Their mother isn’t. She is the loving helicopter Mom, willing to do anything for her children, even embarrass them. She begs that they sit at Jesus’ left and right when he takes his earthly throne. Jesus is gentle, doesn’t get frustrated, and says they can share in his glory, but it’s not what they think – it means suffering. Still deaf to the truth they don’t want to hear, James and John agree to the deal, and the rest of the apostles, also deaf, are jealous. Poor Jesus, after all this time, his disciples still just don’t get it.

Jesus tells his disciples that true glory doesn’t come through ruling over others but serving them. It is a message they will only truly understand once he rises from the dead. If Jesus’ specially chosen disciples didn’t get it, how much more likely is it that we don’t? God is a God of peace and love, and he wants us to share that peace and love through serving others and not ourselves. When we struggle to find peace or love in our lives, turn to Jesus, and ask, “Lord, where I am just not getting it?” He is always with us, waiting to gently show us the way.