Lent, Day Thirty-Five, Fifth Tuesday of Lent

Lent, Day Thirty-Five, Fifth Tuesday of Lent
This all-pervasive competition, which reaches into the smallest corners of our relationships. prevents us from entering into full solidarity with each other, and stands in the way of our being compassionate. We prefer to keep compassion on the periphery of our competitive lives. Being compassionate would require giving up dividing lines and relinquishing differences and distinctions. And that would mean losing our identities. This makes it clear why the call to be compassionate is so frightening and evokes such deep resistance.

Henri J.M. Nouwen, Donald P McNeil, Douglas A. Morrison
Compassion: A Reflection on Christian Life, pg_

Scripture:
³⁵ Then James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came to him. “Teacher,” they said, “we want you to do for us whatever we ask.”
³⁶ “What do you want me to do for you?” he asked.
³⁷ They replied, “Let one of us sit at your right and the other at your left in your glory.”
³⁸ “You don’t know what you are asking,” Jesus said. “Can you drink the cup I drink or be baptized with the baptism I am baptized with?”
⁴¹ When the ten heard about this, they became indignant with James and John. ⁴² Jesus called them together and said, “You know that those who are regarded as rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. ⁴³ Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, ⁴⁴ and whoever wants to be first must be slave of all.

Mark 10:35-38, 41-44

PRAYER
Guardian God, I am often caught up in competitive games-who is better, who is richer, who is nicer, who is more attractive. This competition keeps me separate from others, making me a loner rather than a comrade and a person in solidarity with others. Help me to live a life where distinctions fade away and differences are downplayed, where I become a lover of all rather than a lover of self.Amen.

LENTEN ACTION
Show compassion by choosing to practice one of the spiritual works of mercy. They are as follows: To admonish the sinner, to instruct the ignorant, to counsel the doubtful, to comfort the sorrowful, to bear wrongs patiently, to forgive all injuries, to pray for the living and the dead.