Lent 5 Friday

"The pot calling the kettle black" is how we describe a person who is guilty of the very thing of which they accuse another. We encounter a classic case in today’s gospel when certain critics scolded Jesus, saying: "You, a man, are making yourself God!"

Of course, Jesus wasn’t making himself God- he is God! However, don’t we try to make ourselves God all the time? Isn’t this an accusation that Jesus could legitimately make of those critics and many others- including us?

Just think about it: So often, we want to glorify ourselves, and not God; we want to be independent, not dependent on God; we want to do what we want, not what God wants; we want God to serve us, not the other way around.

The truth is, God didn’t create us to be God. God created us to be ourselves! Which is a good thing, as we’re all made in God’s image and likeness. And that’s why God calls us, not to be God, but to be godly, God-like.

Our challenge, then, is for us to stop trying so hard to be God, and instead surrender to God, that we may become like God, just a little bit more, every day.





(My book of daily meditations for Lent is now available from Ave Maria Press:https://www.avemariapress.com/product/1-59471-363-4/The-Living-Gospel-Daily-Devotions-for-Lent-2013/ It is available also at Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Daily-Devotions-Lent-Living-Gospel/dp/1594713634/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1335995419&sr=8-1 )