Dearest Goddaughter (LTR-64) - A Purposeful Life

Dearest Goddaughter,

We have heard or have said this ourselves - "I have been preparing for this moment my entire life" - when it comes time for us to fulfill the goal in which we have worked hard for all of our lives. As we hear in today's Gospel (and many times in the other Gospels), Jesus knew exactly where his journey in life would end: crucified on the Cross for the salvation of all men so that he can reconcile us to the Father.

Saint John the Evangelist wrote:

"For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him might not perish but might have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn* the world, but that the world might be saved through him" (John 3:16-17).

And, according to Saint John, this is our purpose in life:

"Whoever believes in him will not be condemned, but whoever does not believe has already been condemned, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God" (3:18).

Our whole life's purpose is to get to heaven, to return to the Father, to be in paradise for eternity with our Lord and our God. Jesus came to lead us back to the Father. The path is through the Cross of Christ. Those who have eyes ought to see. Those who have ears ought to hear. But during our time sojourning in this world, we look to Jesus on how we ought to live our lives, to serve and not to be served. 

Love,

Bỏ Phúc

P.S. These are the readings for the day: Jer 18:18-20 and Mt 20:17-28 (below).

. . .

As Jesus was going up to Jerusalem,

he took the Twelve disciples aside by themselves,

and said to them on the way,

"Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem,

and the Son of Man will be handed over to the chief priests

and the scribes,

and they will condemn him to death,

and hand him over to the Gentiles

to be mocked and scourged and crucified,

and he will be raised on the third day."

Then the mother of the sons of Zebedee approached Jesus with her sons

and did him homage, wishing to ask him for something.

He said to her, "What do you wish?"

She answered him,

"Command that these two sons of mine sit,

one at your right and the other at your left, in your kingdom."

Jesus said in reply,

"You do not know what you are asking.

Can you drink the chalice that I am going to drink?"

They said to him, "We can."

He replied,

"My chalice you will indeed drink,

but to sit at my right and at my left,

this is not mine to give

but is for those for whom it has been prepared by my Father."

When the ten heard this,

they became indignant at the two brothers.

But Jesus summoned them and said,

"You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them,

and the great ones make their authority over them felt.

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."