Robert Barron | – Do You Really Want What God Wants? — Bishop Barron’s Sunday Sermon


Friends, power and honor, in and of themselves, are not a bad thing, but we wreak havoc when we ask for them in the wrong spirit. When we beseech the Lord with our desires, let us ask for what God wants for us rather than what our egos have determined to be good.

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Bishop Robert Barron These are brief and insightful commentaries on faith and culture by Catholic theologian and author Bishop Robert Barron. The videos complement his weekly sermons posted and podcasted at WordOnFire.org.

Comment (47)

  1. Sometimes I wonder whether God handed an empire to Britain so that it would have the strength to combat Prussian Militarism, which (as far as I can tell) was born of German suffering during the 30 Year's War (and nurtured by Britain's own subsidies to Frederick the Great.) The Empire certainly folded up quickly enough after VE day.

    "Far-called, our navies melt away; on dune and headland sinks the fire. Lo, all our pomp of yesterday, is one with Niniveh and Tyre! Lord God of Hosts be with us yet, lest we forget, lest we forget."

  2. Part of my morning SOPs (Standard Operating Prayers) "Who is like unto You, O Lord? Glorious in holiness, fearful in praise, doing wonders?" Therefore I offer You the most precious of all my possessions: the next 24 hours that You give to me, I offer back to you. Sanctify them, the good, the bad, their sorrows and joys, that through them I may know You better, be more open to the leading of Your Holy Spirit, and may gain a greater will, knowledge and power to obey You better today than yesterday.

    I have found my attitude and therefore my day tends to go better as I remind myself Who is the King and who is the subject. And of course, there are some prayers that God delights to answer. So again, thank you, Bishop Baron, for these words of encouragement and faith.

  3. Very ironic. The church I am going to do my RCIA classes had part of their mass this morning based on how sometimes we pray for what WE want and not pray for what Gods Will is. They also used this example of James and John as well this morning. Just great.

    The priest gave the example from a book that a priest wrote about how he had gave up in a moment of great turmoil, wondering why, he felt, God had ignored his prayers in this moment of great need. But later realized, it was because his prayers were misguided by one word, “I”. Very great mass and great sermon Bishop Barron!

  4. Bishop Barron, we imagine you talking to us from across the table, you bring the humility of Christ to our understanding. "Unless you be like little children"……a child does not ask for elevation, nor for honour. Tq very much Bishop Barron

  5. I am always struggling with this. We're in process. There were many things I wouldn't do, and God has improved me. But my body and I always are tired in the end. It's curious to me, and I wish I understood it. But God's word is good: "He gives sleep."

  6. As you were speaking, I immediately thought, that on Jesus' right and left, would be Mary and Joseph.
    I knew you would say that the Glory of God is, "Jesus on the Cross", but when you asked your audience who was on Jesus' left and right when he was on that Cross, even though I knew it was two thieves, one on his left, one on his right, I had temporarily forgotten about them, and so at the moment, I was thinking "Mary and Joseph". Then you said,
    "two criminals", and it took my breath away! I wonder what those two brothers thought when they looked upon their beloved Jesus on the Cross, and realized this themselves. How stunned they must have been. How full of wonder. How powerfully this must have impacted them! Thank you, Bishop Barron!

  7. Soory Bishop, I have the deepest respect for as a priest and as a learned man but I just cannot follow your thinking on this one, Churchill's power was motivated by love? Do you know anything about this man, the role that he played in history, the next thing you will be saying is Henry Kissinger was motivated by love, love of America maybe but the imagination and love of God certainly not. Jesus Christ ended up nailed to a cross, not because He said the things people wanted to hear but becacuse He said things people did not want to hear. May I respectfully suggest you have a little look at Walter Brueggemann's 'Out Of Babylon' or John Maynard Keynes, 'The Price Of Peace'. Sorry the Catholic Church has a long way to go, I earnestly pray please God we will all get there. And indeed peace be with you.

  8. Had anyone thought that James and john’s mother ( a Jewish Mother) told them what to say?…?
    Of course Dear Bishop your words are clear and correct and consistent.
    And yet when we pray…pleading to have what we need <<want>>

  9. Always so insightful. I do wonder however if there is some part of the loop which needs to be well understood. I think if we listen carefully concerning what God wants we discover that it is in fact also best for us..

  10. Jesus told his disciples "this generation will not pass away until all these things take place" – Matthew 24:34

    Yet, we're all still here, aren't we?

    Time to allow Christianity to fade into the past. It's based on lies. Especially from the Catholic Church when it comes to keeping kids safe. Is this Bishop molesting kids? How could we possibly know, with a church that not only covers these things up, but passes the offenders on to other parishes/diocese, to give them fresh kids to rape?

    End it. End it now.

  11. As a lifelong Evangelical-Protestant, until 2 yrs ago…I am constantly surprised by the interesting and impacting commentary on Scripture, Bishop Barron brings! I’m 78yrs old and have spent years listening, studying and trying to apply the lessons found in Scripture. Thanks be to GOD for allowing me to discover the rich beauty and truth to be found in the Catholic Communion! Most especially, at the table spread by Bishop Barron!

  12. This homily is great because it emphasizes how we, sinners, can sometimes be preoccupied with power and honor for the wrong reasons. But there are good ways to use power, and honor can be a good thing, with great examples cited. And there's a good point made on the delicious irony of the Gospel that Jesus comes in power on the Cross.

  13. For those (with a heart of love) who are of Father Yah's (Gods) errant people i.e., Christians/Trinitarians
    who are about to be called out of Babylon the Great. These individuals will then turn back to the Torah
    and repent to Eloah (God) as they begin their walk with Messiah Yahshua for the next 1000 years as they
    become His people.

    Book Title – The Son Of Man Revelation Deciphered
    See Barnes & Nobles also Apple Books / e-book
    Lulu Books / print book 516 pages
    The sons of man are coming to an end (their judgement and destruction) in less than 30 days.

    Nabi Yahqob

  14. “Look to those two figures on his right and his left when He came into His glory.”
    Notice that John indeed gets what he requests, to sit at his left (assuming James being the older brother would reserve the right for himself). John wants God’s will so badly he follows him through it all, all the doubt and fear until he receives the honor of being at his left, and the power of taking the Blessed Mother (on Jesus’ right) as his own mother.

  15. No don't seek power and honor as a criminal. That's not on Jesus terms. Those 2 criminals on his right and left didn't choose to pick up their cross and follow him. Seek power and honor by choosing to pick up your cross and following Jesus. These are the terms of Jesus.

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