As we go about in life, we may be tempted to do things our way and for our own benefit. This is especially evident as we climb the career ladder, as we try to impress the boss with hope of getting a promotion, as we go out of our way to gain admiration or approval from our professors or teachers at university or at school, hoping that we would gain better grades. Even in church circles, we see some people trying to curry favour with the parish priest or bishop, hoping that they would gain prominence and perhaps some sort of important position or title.
However, today’s Gospel paints us a very different picture. Jesus tells us “I tell you most solemnly,
the Son can do nothing by himself; he can do only what he sees the Father doing: and whatever the Father does the Son does too.” Towards the end of the Gospel, Jesus reminds us “I can do nothing by myself; I can only judge as I am told to judge, and my judging is just, because my aim is to do not my own will, but the will of him who sent me.” Are we doing things in obedience to the will of God? Or are we doing things for our own will? In the Lord’s Prayer, we are pray: “Your Kingdom come, Your Will be done.” Are we making effort and doing our part in building God’s Kingdom? Or are we only interested in building our kingdom?