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PRAYER FOR THE WEEK
Jesus, help me follow through on what I promise- and to be patient with other people about following through with me! Amen.

James and John told Jesus, "We want to sit next to you in heaven." Jesus said, "You'd have to suffer like me." "That's okay," they said. Jesus told them, "Well, you will suffer like me, but I can't give you the best seats in heaven. Only my Father can decide that. Besides, if you want to be the best, serve others like I do."

Some people are just not good at following through on things. You've been begging your parents to take you shopping for a Halloween costume, but they haven't gotten around to it. A friend reminds you that you said you'd help her with Spanish homework, but you keep forgetting.

It's not that people don't want to do things; it's actually following through and getting things done that's hard!

This week's Gospel (Mark 10:35-45) is about following through. The Apostles James and John inform Jesus - being kind of arrogant - that they want the best seats in heaven. Jesus warns them that they're asking a lot: To get what they want, they'd have to absolutely trust God, and that would mean some suffering. People are getting hurt just for following Jesus, so being His closest, most loyal followers would mean they'd get hurt the most.

James and John casually make the promise. It's obvious that they're not thinking about following through! They probably think it's enough to want something, without worrying about the work involved.

Following through even on little things in everyday life can be almost as hard. It's important to keep promises - and also to remember, when other people struggle to follow through with you, that they're only human and trying their best. Even Jesus was patient with the Apostles, not disappointed. He knew they might not follow through, but He told them to have faith and do the work, and then He'd see them in heaven![[In-content Ad]]

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