What does it mean to die
to self?
Well, in this Sunday’s Gospel, James and John haven’t quite
figured that out yet. They have the
nerve to ask Jesus for seats at his right and left hands in heaven; they are
looking for favoritism and glory. What
they (and the other disciples) still fail to recognize is that Jesus came to
bring salvation to all, not just to
some; that it’s not about glory for a few special people, but about Jesus’
followers sharing the cup that Jesus
drinks. And what cup is that? Well, this is where the dying to self comes in, because the
cup is our willingness to serve, to
give up our desires for the needs and will of others: whoever
wishes to be great among you will be your servant.
Jesus, the ultimate Suffering Servant (Isaiah), came to demonstrate
that we too can take death into ourselves, we too can share the cup, by opening our concern to the greater world, by
embracing the will of God, by giving our
life as an offering. Jesus did just
this on a grand scale, accepting to die for our sins, so that we might have
eternal life. Fully divine but also
fully human, tested in every way,
Jesus sympathizes with our weakness (Hebrews). But in so doing, he also teaches us what it
means to have faith and confidence in God’s will, even when we don’t understand
it, even when we have to suffer for it.
Being a servant of God means entering into God’s vision; faith is a
challenge. But if we have confidence, if
we truly believe that upright is the word
of the Lord, and all his works are trustworthy (Psalm 33), then even that which makes
us suffer, even that which leads us to die
to self, can give us hope, hope for that light in the fullness of days that is heaven, perfect union with
God, with all.
This reflection is based on notes from Fr. Pat's Thursday Scripture class.
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