Jesus answers prayers with gentleness, truth: archbishop

This is an excerpt of Archbishop Miller’s homily during a visit to St. Francis de Sales Parish Oct. 21.

There are countless spiritual gifts and good works present among you, and for this we should give the Lord thanks for such abundance. 

You are blessed to have an outstanding school within your parish. Your school is flourishing because of the extraordinary way in which it is carrying out its mission, with the help of a superb Parish Education Committee, as an evangelizing community which fosters in the children a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.

I am so impressed, indeed inspired, by your initiatives to foster that relationship in PREP and RCIA, Bible study and prayer groups (including one for young mothers), Catholic disciples Alpha for youth, Liturgy of the Word for Children, and many others. The service to the parish community is carried out by many, many volunteers.

Let me urge everyone who comes to Mass here at St. Francis de Sales to become even more engaged in building up the Body of Christ through your active involvement in one or more of the parish activities and organizations. If you have remained a little on the side-lines, give serious thought to finding a ministry where the Lord can use your gifts and talents for his service.

Disciples Are Called to Share in Christ’s Suffering

The Gospel we have just heard proclaimed offers us a profound lesson on what it really means to be a follower of Jesus and not just a hanger-on to words of divine comfort and consolation.

In the verses just preceding today’s Gospel account, Jesus predicted his upcoming Passion, Death and Resurrection. He laid out very clearly for his Apostles how he foresaw his future destiny: he was to fulfil the mission entrusted to him by the Father by giving himself totally, through his death, for the salvation of others.

Then come the two sons of Zebedee, James and John. They still have other ideas in mind about what it means to be counted among Jesus’ followers. They rush up to Jesus and say bluntly and with childlike confidence: “Teacher, we want you to do for us whatever we ask of you” (Mk 10:35).

It is not difficult to see ourselves in their request. Do we all not often ask the Lord to do what we want? Is that not frequently the content of our prayers?

And the Lord, with his patience no doubt tried at their lack of understanding of his teaching, nonetheless does not rebuke his disciples – just as he does not turn back our prayers of pleading. To their somewhat impertinent question he kindly replies: “What is it you want me to do for you?” (Mk 10:36).

Their answer? Some benefit for all the Apostles? Perhaps food for the multitude? New and better boats for increasing their catch of fish? More strength to go out preaching on the highways and byways? None of these. Instead they ask a favour for themselves – privilege, honour and prestige. “Grant us to sit,” they say, “one at your right hand and one at your left, in your glory” (Mk 10:37).

The Apostles overlooked or didn’t understanding the suffering Jesus had spoken about moments before. They still thought of him as a King who would bring them glory. Jesus responds that they don’t know what they are asking for. He had to spell it out for them: what it really meant to with him “in glory,” and it wasn’t what they had anticipated. They would have to drink from his cup. What Jesus means here is crystal clear: the cup he is referring to is that of the Passion, which he accepts as doing the will of his Father; that is, the cup of suffering.

But, since they asked, Jesus answers. Like him, James and John would have to be “baptized” or washed in blood. And so they would be at a later time, since they came to a martyr’s death.

It is important to see in this dialogue how Jesus treats his disciples with gentleness at the same time that he leads them to a deeper understanding of who he is and what it really means to follow him. He wants us to be aware of the consequences of this choice. It all comes down to this: to be associated with Jesus, to be his friend, disciple, or follower, entails imitating his life and a willingness to share in his destiny.

Once again we have the truth of the Cross. Our sufferings, disappointments, sadness are not useless experiences without meaning. They are for us the path to life. They become bearable when we consciously share them with the Lord.

Let us ask the Lord to continue to bless your beautiful parish family, and also to be with each one of us as we strive to imitate the Lord so that, like him, we are willing to give our life for others, whatever form that “giving” might take.

For more information about parish visits or a list of past and future events, click here.