Wednesday of the Second Week

Reflection

An environmental activist friend of mine wrote a piece recently, “The Problem with Limits”. Reading and meditating on today’s liturgical readings, his piece struck me as an applicable analogy. As people concerned about the health of our earth, its lands we try to protect for the people, for our children, the experience of creation, a direction pointed to God, we look at “limits” to put on others - corporations, etc. that push the environment to its very ‘limits’ (in our estimation — external limits) and clearly headed beyond. The end point of the piece is what we need to be doing is “self-limitation”, to the point of changing ourselves - to give up to give others.

I believe this is Jesus’ point in his discussion with his apostles along the road to Jerusalem. James and John have their mother approach Jesus with their request of being “enthroned” sitting to the right and left of Jesus in his kingdom to come. Instead, he explains to them that the point is changing oneself from expecting to be served by others, to serving others. In terms of sacrifice (self-limitation) Jesus stresses that we make the preemptive move into “drinking of the cup” ourselves instead of always asking others to drink it.

The prophet Jeremiah, in our first reading, has exposed truth about the corruption of “the men of Judah and the citizens of Jerusalem” and now they are plotting to take his life. It seems even today that truth is under attack. The bottom line: trust in God.

Prayer

God, help me to understand where and how I can ‘self-limit’ for the benefit of others - all people, our non-human sisters and brothers, and our earth, home to all. 

Maura Kelley
Member of the Worshipping Community

Scripture

First Reading: Jeremiah 18:18-20
Psalm 31:5-6, 14-16
Gospel: Matthew 20:17-28

Daily Scripture readings can be found online at the USCCB website