JUST SO, THE SON OF MAN DID NOT COME TO BE SERVED BUT TO SERVE AND TO GIVE HIS LIFE AS A RANSOM FOR MANY.” MT 20:17-28

Humbly submit your will to God (Thy Will be done) and consecrate yourself to the Sacred Heart of Jesus through Mary and Joseph.

As Jesus was going up to Jerusalem,
he took the Twelve disciples aside by themselves,
and said to them on the way,
“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,
and hand him over to the Gentiles
to be mocked and scourged and crucified,
and he will be raised on the third day.”

Then the mother of the sons of Zebedee approached Jesus with her sons
and did him homage, wishing to ask him for something.
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.”
Jesus said in reply,
“You do not know what you are asking.
Can you drink the chalice that I am going to drink?”
They said to him, “We can.”
He replied,
“My chalice 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.”
When the ten heard this,
they became indignant at the two brothers.
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.
But it shall not be so among you.
Rather, whoever wishes to be great among you shall be your servant;
whoever wishes to be first among you shall be your slave.
Just so, the Son of Man did not come to be served but to serve
and to give his life as a ransom for many.” MT 20:17-28

If Jesus asked you, “What do you wish for?” What would be your response? In this case it was for a high seat of honor by a mother for her sons in God’s Kingdom. Jesus teaches us to deny ourselves, take up our cross, and follow Him. Why? “The Son of Man did not come to be served but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

Pride is taking great satisfaction in one’s own achievements. Love is the opposite. Our ego can lead us to pride. A person’s ego can lead them to put everyone else down to lift them up, or pointing everyone else’s faults out to hide their own. It can be putting down those with less intelligence or skill to boost their own.

Intelligence and skill are not bad, but they are a gift from God used to glorify Him. Wisdom is more important than intelligence. Jesus is the opposite of pride in the highest degree. He is “meek and humble of heart”. He is gentle and gives totally and completely of Himself. God is love and this is what love does! God’s love is the most powerful thing in the universe!

The Nativity reminds us of how humble God is. God, who created the world out of nothing with just His Words, the most intelligent and powerful being, came to us in a cave with animal dung around Him completely vulnerable needing two humans to take care of Him. He needed them to clothe and feed Him being dependent on these two wonderful humans. There is no greater self-sacrifice then this. There is no way we can match this humility.

He continues this humility by giving Himself totally and completely hidden behind bread and wine to transform us with His grace and love until He returns. When is the last time you became completely vulnerable and gave up yourself totally and completely for another. Subdue your pride, put on a meek and humble heart, and serve those God has put in your life. Put love into each action. Do not complain but count your blessings. Stop judging and start helping. Serve. This is the heart of Christ, “love one another as I have loved you”.

We are called to imitate Christ. If everyone did this (starting with myself), it would be the greatest revolution the planet has ever seen. Following Jesus is hard, but the rewards are eternal! Be a servant, become a saint!

Today’s challenge: Be a servant, become a saint! Enter each room and ask how you can help. Put others before self out of love. I bet you will be filled with joy even though you gave up what you wanted or you will at least have a new perspective.

Be a servant, become a saint!
#Christian YOLO