There is a great tension that lives in the drama of the Christian life. On the one hand, there is the weighty calling to follow Jesus in the truest sense of the term. As Jesus puts it to the sons of Zebedee in today’s gospel, Can you drink the chalice that I am going to drink? I struggle to think of a challenge or invitation (indeed, this question is both) that would be greater than this. On the other hand, there is our humanity; which is to say, our sinfulness, imperfection, brokenness, weakness. This being our condition, we cannot escape it. And if we cannot escape it, how can we possibly respond affirmatively to Jesus’ invitation? How could we possibly drink that chalice when it is our very humanity that seems to get in the way?

Our readings today suggest one possible hint: hope. Hope may point to the answer to our question of how. As we read in 2 Corinthians today, … we too believe and therefore speak, knowing that the one who raised the Lord Jesus will raise us also with Jesus and place us with you in his presence. We have hope in Jesus and hope in the resurrection. Earlier this month, I saw (and felt) such hope when I attended the funeral of a dear colleague. Patrick Reidy was his name. Amidst the sorrow-soaked tears of those present, I witnessed great hope. Hope in Patrick’s seat among the saints. Hope that God has also prepared a place for us. As far as I could observe, Patrick lived with Christian hope…

…which brings us to our answer. How could we possibly drink that chalice? How can we accept God’s invitation amidst this tension? The answer, itself is God: the one in whom we place our hope. The one who asks the question is the very answer, for God asks nothing of us with which he will not himself assist. God asks us to go nowhere he will not himself accompany us. God is the difference-maker when it comes to our drinking from that chalice.

So, let us pray for awareness of those times in our life when God poses this question to us. Let us pray also for the hope to inspire our Yes. God will be right there with us.