In the Gospel, of the First Sunday after the Exaltation of the Holy Cross, our Maronite Church brings the dilemma of our human condition with the dear James and John sons of Zebedee, the brothers bluntly demand that Jesus give them whatever they want: a really bad move. Haven’t we learned by now that God knows what will make us happy, and 
that only a fool tells Eternal Wisdom what to do? Jesus is patient with them: “what do you wish me to do for you?” And they blithely ask for the two top positions in his kingdom to sit at hi right and at hi left. The Church has traditionally honored in her sanctuaries, Mary and Joseph and has put their representations on the right and on the Left of the main altar. 
    Jesus replies: “you don’t know what you are asking. Can you drink the cup that I will drink?” The brothers’ response has always impressed me: yes we can. They don’t know what discipleship will demand, but they want it, for love of Christ. And Jesus assures them that they will drink with Him, both on earth and in the Kingdom to come. 
He will make them capable of drinking their chalices to the bottom, because they have asked for it.
   A very dear friend, commented saying: “Thank God! For all His blessings in my life! The great saints went through sufferings, should I ask God for that?” At some point in our lives Jesus will ask each of us, ‘can you drink from my chalice?’ May God permit us all to say yes, I can.  
    God sent his beloved Son Jesus to earth in the forty-second year of the reign of Caesar Octavian Augustus. He came to a lakeside in the Galilee region of the Roman Empire and proclaimed: “This is the time of fulfilment. The Kingdom of God is at hand : Repent and believe in me.” Some believed, but most didn’t. Of those who did believe were two brothers, James and John, sons of Zebedee, of the village of Capernaum. They had what appears to be a successful fishing business. “Come follow me,” Jesus called to them from the lake shore, “and I will make you fishers of men.” They left their father in the boat with the hired men and followed him. 
   The two previous questions will come to us someday, if they haven’t already. We all say yes I can, but then falter when it comes to living it out. It’s best to practice with the smallest stuff:  someone gives you a rude gesture; your best friend stops calling you for no apparent reason. Best to practice with the small adversities and disappointments. It will lead to our peace and joy, if we, with Our Lady and St. Joseph, can see God’s will in every circumstance. He never leaves our side, and we will be peaceful if we can only believe that. I continue, in this month and always, to encourage all of you to pray the rosary, if not daily, then at least a few times a week. If we pray with and to Our Lady, we will be able to go to Calvary and back, as she did, with peace and joy.