“Lethargy” By: Andrew Scala, Fiat Ventures
20th Sunday of Ordinary Time
How often do we find ourselves in the car driving to an event, of any kind, and have this thought cross our minds: “Man, I really don’t feel like doing this.” It’s certainly too frequent for my own liking. With the ongoing prevalence of Netflix and the ease with which the pantheon of internet-based entertainment can be accessed from our couch, it’s easy to “not feel like” doing anything. I often wonder, because I can’t really remember anymore, what it would be like without this ready-made access to entertainment. Would I still suffer from a lackadaisical attitude?
In this weekend’s Gospel reading from Matthew, Jesus encounters a Canaanite woman who pleads with Him to heal her daughter who is suffering from a demon. Jesus initially reacts with silence, and the disciples come to him and ask Him to “Send her away, for she keeps calling out after us.” Jesus ultimately heals her daughter after the mother demonstrates great faith. However, as if Jesus performing yet another miracle is not interesting enough, I’m more interested in the disciples in this case.
The disciples’ response to the Canaanite woman’s call for help reminds me a lot of my own lethargy. They pretty much seem to claim that her incessant pleading is annoying to them. See, Jesus’ “withdrawing” to the region of Tyre and Sidon would suggest that they have been traveling quite a bit, and I’m sure they were all very tired. But the bottom line here is that the disciples weren’t up to the task of helping her in this moment. They didn’t feel like it, which seems to answer my lackadaisical attitude question.
I always enjoy reading about the disciple’s road to holiness under the tutelage of Jesus because I feel such a connection to them. They mess up, say the wrong things, and even deny Jesus’ existence. I have been guilty of all these things, and this weekend I am reminded of all the times that I “haven’t felt like it”, particularly when it comes to church-related tasks after a long week. But subsequently I’ve learned, and I think the disciples did too in this week’s Gospel, that Jesus exists in those moments. Those are his most teachable moments. I’ve never had a bad time at a church-related function that I “didn’t feel like” going to, and in fact those are the moments in which I’ve learned the most.
If I told you Jesus was right down the street, wouldn’t you go outside to see Him? The next time you find yourself lethargic and non-committal when it comes to church-related functions or things God is leading you to do, do yourself a favor and just go! Jesus is there, waiting for you. Waiting to teach you that your ways are not his, and that your laziness is his teachable moment!
