Wednesday, II Lent, March 7, 2007
The great virtuoso violinist Ishak Perlman tells the story of a woman asking him to listen to her son play the violin. When Perlman rather reluctantly agreed, the mother took out a tape recorder and played a cassette. Perlman marveled at the beautiful music. “He sounds just like Ya Ya Haifitz,” Perlman said. “That is Ya Ya Haifitz,” the mother replied, “and my son plays just like that.”
Parents are apt to exaggerate their children’s talents. Children may allow them to do so if they see some gain for themselves. Evidently James and John do not mind their mother soliciting Jesus for seats ahead of Peter and the rest of the disciples in the Kingdom of God. But the brothers’ exalted images of themselves in the Kingdom do not impress Jesus. He is interested in whether they are willing to suffer for the sake of that kingdom.
Lent is the season for us to get a grip on our pride. Most of us generally think too much of ourselves. Rather than compare ourselves downwards to see how much better we are in some things than other people, we should compare ourselves with the saints. Then we will see how we fail to trust God with our worries and how we fail to love our enemies with our prayers.
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