Mosaiek Church Lent 2025: Jesus' Questions in Sufferingනියැදිය

“Who would you rather be: the one who eats the dinner or the one who serves the dinner? You’d rather eat and be served, right? But I’ve taken my place among you as the one who serves. And you’ve stuck with me through thick and thin

-Luke 22:27-28 (MSG)

Thomas Keating, a priest from the Catholic tradition, tells the story of a young man who was converted. He was known for being able to drink everyone under the table, and after his conversion, he decided to become part of the strictest order and give his whole life to the Lord. Lent came and they decided to fast. One by one the old men of the order began to give up the forty-day fast, until he, the new convert, was the only one who could see through the forty days. And on that day, he realised with satisfaction that he had fasted everyone under the table, just as he could drink everyone under the table. Thomas Keating asks, what had changed in this person? He says, only his address, his hairstyle, and his clothing, but inside there had been no major changes. Life was still about himself; he used to drink and now he uses religion to strengthen his humiliated ego and still come out on top and get the respect of all the people around him. The preoccupation with self and the pride are still very strong in him. This is the story of the disciples too. They are believers and they follow Jesus, but now they are arguing among themselves about who is the most important, and who will hold which positions when Jesus is no longer there.

This brings us to ourselves - it is so difficult to see the obsession with self, the pride in ourselves. The only way we can become aware of it and see it in our own lives is when He shows it to us. When He convinces us, like the disciples, it is to free us from the worries and stress that pride brings into our lives. We can start living like Him.

Reflection: Ask Him for the grace to reveal obsession with self within you and set you free from it. You can repeat the prayer as often as it comes to mind throughout the day.

Prayer: I ask for the grace of deep insight and conviction that my obsession with self is robbing me of life.