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Catholic Charities USA
Wednesday of the Second Week of Lent
Today's Lectionary Readings
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Part of my job is responding to wage theft cases, helping people
connect with lawyers, and pushing for more robust policies to protect
workers. These tasks are complex and complicated, and it's sometimes a
challenge to connect with a human to take a case. So, I do other parts
of my job rather than dealing with the hard things.
It's easy to get distracted. I must confess I finished this reflection
later than I'd hoped because I got distracted by a social media
conversation about Virginia's 2023 elections. I get distracted during
prayer by my to-do list. I feel the worst when I get distracted while
listening to a person in need. These individuals, our clients, are
looking for human touch and support. They're sharing their most
challenging moments or the obstacles they face, and yet it's easy for
us to get distracted sitting behind a desk. We think about how many
phone calls we must answer today rather than treating the person in
front of us with compassion and genuinely listening to their
story.
When Jesus talks about His passion in today's gospel, James and John
are distracted. They're wondering about their future job
prospects rather than listening to their friend. Being fully present
is uncomfortable (much like listening to the failures of our systems),
so they tune out and plan for glory. We may not be scheming for
leadership positions, but we sometimes find that we're tuned out, just
checking boxes as we listen to clients. Thank heaven that Jesus
responds with love to his disciples. He re-directs their questioning
to focus on the challenges waiting for all who follow him. He says
that they will have to sit through the discomfort if they genuinely
want to be in leadership in God's Kingdom. They will have to be
genuinely present with the suffering of the cross.
Similarly, we must be genuinely present with the clients who call for
help or show up at our workplace. I can't just send an introductory
email and move on with my day; I must sit down with the person who
suffered and envision the helpful next steps. This may not bring me
glory, but it will ensure that their humanity's dignity is honored.
Even if we can't change the world, even if we can't change the future,
we are still called to listen. And when we get distracted, let us turn
again to follow Jesus' example, who "did not come to be served, but to
serve."
Sheila Herlihy Hennessee, ofs, is a professed Secular Franciscan. She
works as a Faith Organizer with the Virginia Interfaith Center for
Public Policy, and participates in the Taizé choir at her
parish.
This and other Catholic Charities USA reflections may be viewed here.
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