The end of episode 3, season 2 of The Chosen is something at times I relate to as a priest. The Apostles quarrel in a petty manner, each seeking to dominate the other, meanwhile Jesus has been working all day to bring healing to those whose faith is in grave need of His attention. I relate to it, in that sometimes I am the one that quarrels while something more important is occurring, or that I am dealing with something more important while others are lost in their first world problems.
The juxtaposition I suppose anyone can relate to, but it begs the question: are our eyes fixed on Christ, to know what our heart should dedicate itself in? The beautiful scene of Mary washing His feet reminds me of the priest’s final prayer before he sleeps, after compline, a prayer to our Mother. She sees his tired body, entirely spent on the needs of others, and in that moment of emptiness and perhaps even thankless work (ie people wanting miracles, but not for a relationship; they use God), she fills Him with love.
We should, as Christians, all fall asleep like this: having spent our day in service of evangelization, of God’s work, not bitter, envious, domineering, etc.. it will involve suffering, it will involve exhaustion, but it will mean that we have loved, and thus retained our likeness to God, and a reason for peace.
There are some days where you have witnessed joy and sorrow in others that is so intense, because it is rooted in Him, that tears can well up in our mind as we muse on God’s goodness, and other’s incredible suffering. It is an exhaustion of the heart, that in a prudent way, is not left indifferent, but in the very heart of Christ, beats in synch as though wrapped with thorns, pierced by this fallen world, yet gushing forth love, mercy, salvation.
