Surrender Your Spirit to God

~~~ Jeremiah 18: 18-20 ~~~ Psalm 31 ~~~ Matthew 20: 17-28 ~~~

The theme of humility continues to resonate in the readings for today.

'...Remember that I stood before you
to speak in their behalf,to turn away your wrath from them...'

Jeremiah has had a pretty rough life...

He remains faithful to God in spite of what happens to him.

He is speaking to God here, but

he is also affirming for himself that he interceded 

before God on the behalf of others.

He was not thinking about himself with the exclusion of the others.

Humility...relying on God...thinking of others more than yourself.

Jeremiah is in the right place, but things have not gone 

as he would have expected.

Psalm 31 continues with pleas to God for freedom.

The psalmist surrenders himself completely into the hands of God.

'...Into your hands I commend my spirit...'

Humility calls us to a type of dying...the dying of the false self.

The true self knows that our mere existence is because of the love of God.

The death of the false self should precede the death of the physical body.

Striving toward a greater humility brings us ever closer to Our Lord.

Is this not the highest goal of our existence here on earth;

to get closer to God?

'...my trust is in you, O LORD...'

In the gospel we see the proud mother trying to make a special place for her sons.

She may be filled with great love for her sons, but she does not

understand the importance of humility in this case.

Jesus himself exhibits his humility before the Father....

'...to sit at my right and at my left,
this is not mine to give...'

He reminds her of how the rulers have treated the Gentiles...

how they did not rule with justice and compassion.

...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.”

Jesus came to serve not to be served...

this is what humility is all about;

doing the will of the Father.

Only God can chose who will sit to his right and left.

He is looking for his humble servants.

Those who believe they have come to do his will.

There is no other God.

Even a loving mother's wishes for her sons cannot 

replace the Father's will.

Be content that you are exactly where God intends for you to be;

right now in this very moment in time.

You are loved.