Am I know what I am asking from the Lord?

Gospel Thoughts*

*Ordinary Season : 8th Week - Wednesday*

*GOSPEL -  Mark 10:32-45*

*First Reading - Sir 36:1, 4-5a, 10-17*

*Am I know what I am asking from the  Lord?*

*Jesus says "You do not know what you are asking*

*1) James and John were asking for power and position*

Two of these disciples were asking with Jesus to grant them the opportunity  to sit on the right and left respectively 

To which Jesus tells them you do not know what you are asking 

How do we understand  this sentence of Jesus in our life?

*2) James and John asked the favour for self and not for others*

First of all their request a selfish purpose was there. They were calculating their own benefits  and selfish goal by achieving  the important  positions  in the kingdom of God

In fact it was their selfishness,  hidden motives,  and self centred attitude was asking this favour from Jesus 

It was not their real and genuine self that was asking these favours from the Lord. 

So Jesus says you do not know what you are asking.

*3) self centred attitude  and other centred attitude*

A person can have two types of attitudes. One is self centred attitude and the other one is other centred attitude. 

The self centred attitude is dominated and governed by selfishness,  pride, personal gain, power, position,  wealth,  greed, luxurious  life, pleasures of the world. 

The life which is dominated  by these things will crave for only these things and searches for only these things 

So these are the things which are not asked by the genuine self by the hypocrite  self. That is why Jesus says you do not know what you are asking for 

*4) The other centred self*

This self operated by the the genuine self, which always thinks of the wellbeing  of the other 

Love of the neigbhour  is the main principle under which it operates 

This self is dominated  by the values like, Humility, Forgiveness,  love, generosity,  Sharing,  sacrifice,  patience,  justice and truth. 

To think and act based on these values, one needs to elevate onself to the higher level of consciousness, which is nothing but the divine nature in us

The Human nature or animal nature in us makes us ignorant about what we are suppose to ask from the Lord

The divine nature or holiness makes us to realise what we should ask from the Lord 

*5) How does my self operates?*

Does it operates on the genuine self or on the hypocrite self? 

Does it operates on the self centred goals or other centred goals? 

Does it know, whether what it is asking for or does it ignorant about what it is asking about? 

Need to think seriously about it

*6) Am I aware of what I am asking from the Lord?*

God does not understand the language of anger. So don't use this language fur asking, because neither you will understand this language

God also does not give attention to the language of selfish interests, pride, revenge, greed, and other selfish attitudes. So not to use these languages while taking to the Lord

Use the language which God and you yourself can understand so that it becomes effective. 

We grow in our life, only when we understand what we ask for from the Lord

*Think about it*

*God bless you and your family. Praying for you and your dear ones*

*Fr Maxim Dsouza*

*Jeppu Seminary*

*Mangalore*