“Look at the Son of Man and His Holy Mother. Look at the Holiness that I can never aspire to achieve. Shame on me a miserable sinner…”
I am a very competitive person. I always have been. Perhaps this is because I am the eldest child in a family of eight children? Perhaps it is because of my upbringing and my parents instilling a strong work ethic and strong sense of achievement that drives me on.
Because I am a competitive person, people around me often think that I am competing with them. In fact, I have never – and would never – compete with another person. Instead, I only ever compete against myself. I constantly try to improve my performance, or an outcome based on the inputs I have made. And I have been thinking about that today.
“Jesus said to his disciples: ‘That servant who knew his master’s will, but did not make ready or act according to his will, shall receive a severe beating. But he who did not know, and did what deserved a beating, shall receive a light beating. Every one to whom much is given, of him will much be required; and of him to whom men commit much they will demand the more.” (Luke 12:39-48).
Christ told us – using clear and specific words in the Gospels – not to compete with others. When we are judged by the Just Judge, He will not compare my actions to those of others. Instead, He will compare my actions to those that He created me to perform. He will want to make sure that the life I have lived is the life that He designed for me when He created me.
And I have been thinking about that today. You see, it is so easy to make excuses. I have only to look at the activity of my neighbour and throw my hands up into the air and declare that I am unable to go on any further because at least I am better than them…
And all this really means is that I am the most holy soul among the damned. What is the point of this lifetime if at the end of it, I sit at the top of the pile of souls who burn in the pit in Hell?
And it occurs to me today that I am so much like an ungrateful child, who calls out to my Parent for every little problem. And when my Parent tells me that He has everything in hand and all I am required to do is to sit down and wait for Him to work His Holy Will, I rail at the wait and I turn to my neighbours and I say, “Look, look at how much better their life is compared with mine.” And I say, “Look at how good I am compared with them.”
And instead, what I should be doing, is saying, “Look at the Son of Man and His Holy Mother. Look at the Holiness that I can never aspire to achieve. Shame on me a miserable sinner. A miserable, miserable sinner…”
For with prayer, I stand on Holy Ground where everything is clear. Here. At the Foot of the Cross.
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