Homily

It is our custom to say the Prayer of St. Ephrem on the weekdays of Lent. In the opening words of that prayer we say, "O Lord and Master of my life, keep from me the spirit of indifference and discouragement, lust of power, and idle chatter...." Three of these items seem reasonable to pray about, but that request to keep away from lusting for power might seem a bit strange. Do I ever lust for power? It seems that's a sin more proper to politicians, or dictators, or business people, or the wealthy or maybe people in the entertainment world rather than for regular, ordinary people like us. And it is true that we are not in positions to seek the same type of power those people might seek and desire. But it doesn't mean that we are free from the danger of lusting after power.

Do we ever feel the need to be right about something? That events and people must happen and act in the ways I choose and desire? Do I ever argue not to try and get to the truth but to win against someone else? Do I ever coerce, bribe, lie, mislead, or frighten other people to get my own way? How much do I look to material goods and money as a source of satisfaction and security? Do I ever think other people are standing in the way of my happiness, and am I annoyed that they are keeping me from doing what I would like to do? Do I accept the teachings of Christ and His Church unless they seem too difficult, or they are inconvenient and then I follow my own desires? Have I ever rushed in to beat someone out of a place in line at the checkout counter, or for a spot in the parking lot? Have I ever been angry that someone else beat me out of a spot? Maybe we have a little more lusting after power in our lives than we think. After all, this Ephrem prayer became very popular in monasteries where wealth and status would not seem to be great sources of temptation.

When Jesus finished His 40-day fast before He began His public ministry, Satan tempted Him in the desert two times, to show His power by changing stones into bread and to jump off the roof of the Temple so that angels would save Him. Satan's third and last temptation was to offer the Lord the authority over all the powers of the world if He would only bow down to acknowledge Satan's power. But Jesus refused. He came into this world not to gain power for Himself but to provide a way, for all those who wish to take it, to give access to the very power of His own divine life, a share in the glory of God.

That access to power was given to us at our baptism. It is not in the power of fame, or knowledge, or money, or ruling, or any of the temporary powers the world holds so dear and so important. It's the power of truth over lies, peace over conflict, the power of trust in God over looking for safety in material goods. It's the power of prayer over constant busyness, the power of patience over anger, of serving rather than being served. It's the power of giving over misplaced desires, of loving rather than focusing on how we are loved, the power of humility over pride, confession over sin, and virtue over weakness and want.

We may not always be aware of it, but we probably do have a lot of thought and action in our lives that revolves around the need we feel to have the wrong kind of power in our hands. We probably don't often see it as a desire for power and control, and yet at the core, that is what it's about. Why do we have to be right? Why do we have to win the argument? Why do we have to get there before the other person does? I think a lot of it has to do with our fears and anxieties. If we think we have power, it helps us believe we can be in control over the things that we worry about.

It's true, we may not be plotting the overthrow of the government to the south of us so that we can be crowned as King or Queen of Mexico. But where we look for power, and how we use it has a tremendous impact on the character of our lives. St. Paul tells us that Christ came to empty Himself out for us, so that we in turn might embrace Him and His supreme loving kindness. That's the power we need.

It's easy to look out into the world and find people who, no matter how much power they hold, are never satisfied because the kind of power people tend to lust after is never satisfying in the end. It always looks for something more. It can be truly difficult to look at our own lives and recognize the many ways in which we may be lusting and grabbing for power to use for ourselves. But it is absolutely true that the only lasting, satisfying, and worthy source of power for ourselves is found in our life in Christ.

What is the medicine needed to save us from lusting after power?

In the lobby is an icon of St. Anthony of the Desert, the founder of monastic life. In his hand is a scroll with a quote from him:

“I saw the traps of the devil spread across the earth, and sighing, I said 'Who can possibly escape them?' And I heard a voice say, 'Humility.'”