The Holy Spirit Gently Chides

It never fails. Whenever I complain about things going "wrong" in my life -- you know what I mean, things that just didn't happen the way I wanted them to -- the Holy Spirit comes along and teaches me a lesson.

Over the past few days, I've been complaining (not here, but privately among acquaintances) about some recent events that greatly displeased me. Indeed, I've gone to great lengths to ensure certain people are aware of my dissatisfaction. And then, as soon as I air all this dissatisfaction of mine, I get put in my place.

I'm been working a few hours each day preparing an adult faith formation mini-course on Ecclesiology. About an hour ago, while digging through some source material, I came across a Gospel reflection by Pope Benedict XVI. He addressed that wonderful Gospel moment when James and John, those incorrigible Zebedee boys, ignored what Jesus had been telling them about His upcoming Passion, Death and Resurrection, preferring instead to ask Our Lord about their own future positions in His Kingdom [Mt 9:33-37]. In other words, rather than listen to Jesus, they talked about who among them was the greatest. Here's what the Pope wrote about this passage, words that seemed aimed directly at me:

“Is it not also the same today? While the Lord moves towards his Passion, while the Church is suffering, and he suffering in her, we are back on our favorite topic, on the question of our privileges. And if he were to enter into our midst and to ask us what we were talking about, then how we should have to blush and be silent!”

And so I thank the Holy Spirit for placing those words in front of me. But I also ask Him to be a bit kinder in the future and do it before the fact, not after it.

[The words quoted above were written before Joseph Ratzinger became Pope Benedict XVI, and can be  found in his book Pilgrim Fellowship Of Faith: The Church As Communion (2005).]

Blessings...