Drinking the Cup God Gives Us
“My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from me; yet, not as I will, but as you will” (Matthew 26:39).
“I Thirst”: Using Our Gifts to Quench Christ’s Thirst
In a message by Pope St. John Paul II for Lent 1993, the great pope called the Church to reflect on Jesus’ words, “I thirst” (John 19:28) and “Give me a drink” (John 4:7). In these words, he wrote, ‘we hear a cry from the poor, especially those who did not have access to clean water’. In a subsequent letter to the Missionaries of Charity, St. Teresa of Calcutta (then simply known as Mother Teresa) elaborated on this message:
“‘I thirst’ is something much deeper than Jesus just saying ‘I love you.’ Until you know deep inside that Jesus thirsts for you — you can’t begin to know who He wants to be [for] you. Or who He wants you to be for Him.”
This Lent, Catholic Women in Business invites you to reflect with us on how Jesus thirsts for each one of us and how we can quench His thirst — through prayer, through sacrifice, through loving His children who are most in need (and there are so many this Lent in particular!). In our content this season, we’ll be exploring how, as Catholic professionals, we can begin to understand “who He wants to be” for us, “who He wants [us] to be for Him,” and how we can share His great love for us all with everyone we encounter.
A few weeks ago, my husband expressed some concerns he had about my workload — and about how he thought I ought to be orienting myself in these next few months. You see, I’m expecting a baby — our second here on Earth — at the beginning of May, and lately, my husband has been very diligently organizing our finances and squaring away loose ends.
I tease him that he’s been “nesting.” And while I’m grateful for his enthusiasm (at least looking back now), when he first brought up his concerns, I got defensive. “I am nesting,” I thought. “My body has literally been nesting for six months! I deserve to spend the time I have left to pursue whatever I’d like.”
Thankfully, after some time in prayer — and a good confession — I see the wisdom in my husband’s words. As the ladies on Abiding Together would say, he wasn’t calling me out, he was calling me on. He was calling me to step more fully into my vocation as a wife and mother.
Ambition or Fear?
While my husband has been dotting Is and crossing Ts, I’ve been saying “yes” to all kinds of non-household, non-baby-related things — things outside of the scope of my very real responsibilities as a mama, wife, employee, and co-worker. I’ve been grasping for a life that’s different from the one I have at present — from the one I’m going to have in a few months — all under the guise of ambition.
I say guise, because I think that really, I’ve been acting out of fear. I’m afraid of what the Lord has in store for me and my family. What’s life going to be like with two children? Will I ever have time to myself? Will I lose my sense of identity? Will my husband and I be able to work as a team and stay strong as a couple?
Drinking My Cup
This Lent, at Catholic Women in Business, we’re reflecting on how Jesus “thirsts” for each of us — considering who He wants to be for us and who He wants us to be for Him. And as I’ve been personally praying through these questions, I’ve thought of Jesus’ own prayer in the garden before He was arrested: “My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from me,” He says; “yet, not as I will, but as you will” (Matthew 26:39).
It seems I’ve been stuck on just the first part of the prayer: Oh Lord, lift the challenges of motherhood from me. Assure me of endless patience, nights of good sleep, and work/life balance. Promise me that I’ll come back to work eager and able and that my marriage will stay strong. Promise me, Lord.
Essentially, I’ll drink this cup — but only on my terms.
But that next part — His will ... That’s harder to accept. It’s even harder to ask for.
At confession, my priest counseled me. He said, “Be where you are. God will provide the joy.” It’s the piece I’d been forgetting. The Lord has called me to the vocation of marriage and motherhood and to the role of employee, colleague, and friend. And while there have been challenges in each calling, He has provided exactly what I’ve needed to endure and succeed — companionship, fortitude, ambition, patience, and, yes, joy, among so many others.
He wants me to serve him in those roles, and I can only do it well if I show up fully alive in them, not with my head in the clouds (or in the sand). He wants me to be clear-eyed and confident that I am exactly where I’m meant to be.
“And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, so that where I am you also may be” (John 14:3).
Each and every day, the Lord invites us into communion with Him. He’s preparing a banquet, a place uniquely made for us. But to get there, we have to stay in His will. We have to follow the path He provides. We have to drink the cup He offers.
Even in our doubt, even in the midst of trials, we have to trust that He is good. He doesn’t promise us a carefree life. But he does promise that he’ll walk with us and never leave us.
Be not afraid, Sister. Drink the cup. It’s overflowing with graces to carry you through whatever lies ahead.
Tara Wright is an artist, Marine wife, and happy Catholic. By day, Tara creates content for Sesame Workshop, the nonprofit force behind the beloved children’s show “Sesame Street.” She is the owner of Tara Wright Illustration, where she specializes in custom art and illustration, and is co-founder of Scatter and Sow. After spending several years in New York City and Fredericksburg, Virginia, Tara and her family are currently back home in Oklahoma, riding out the pandemic closer to family.