For every day during Lent, Bishop Edward Malesic writes a scripture reflection for the faithful. Follow the bishop on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
Click HERE for the readings.
Jesus said to James and John that following him is not easy. It has a cost. Jesus asks them: “Can you drink the chalice that I am going to drink?” The chalice that Jesus is referring to is the cup of rejection and suffering.
Sometimes, doing the right thing is difficult. Just ask Jeremiah the prophet in our first reading. He was thrown into a pit because he spoke the truth to people who did not want to hear it.
To follow Jesus will always entail a bit of pain, sometimes even a great amount of it. Can we drink of that chalice? Can we afford not to?