We Can

Jesus said in reply, “You do not know what you are asking. Can you drink the cup that I am going to drink?” They said to him, “We can.” Matthew 20:22

I love the response of the sons of Zebedee, “We can.”

There is an element of fellowship. We. There is no I. There is no me. There no myself. Most things in life can not be done alone. Important matters in life are not meant to be done alone. You and I need someone. You and I need somebody. You give support. You receive support. There is companionship in “We”. We makes a family. We makes a friendship. We makes a church. We makes a community.

There is an element of God’s power. James and John said can not will. When you say can, you are giving space in which you state you need God. You give space on what God will do or not. For if they say “We will” rather than “We can”, they rely on their own. Paul knew this as he wrote, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” (Phil. 4:13)

When I went to the US all by myself, I began to realize the importance of my family and my community. The significance of “We”. Though my family joined me after more than a month, but those days were tragic. I cried almost every night. No TV program entertained me. No new acquaintances replaced my proven relationships. I go to daily mass crying out to God to bless me as I am alone. It is like drinking His cup as in being isolated from your family and friends. Going through all the adjustments and new culture, I told myself, I can not do it alone. When my family arrived, we sailed and lived together with the adjustments up to now with God’s help. I praise God for allowing my family to be with me as He knows I need to give and receive companionship and support.

Christian life is about drinking His cup. But no worry, for Christian life, also, is about “We can.”