Do you ever feel that some people are only with you in the happy moments of your journey but disappear when things get hard? I’m sure we’ve all felt that way. However, I wonder how many of us have felt the opposite? I have. Some people have come into my life during the difficult times because they want to see me fail. Now, that’s a hard pill to swallow.
I notice this same concept in today’s Gospel. When Mary and Martha were mourning, many members of their community came to help and grieve with them. However, some of them came with ulterior motives; when they saw that Jesus was there, they went right to the Pharisees to turn him in. In this situation, Jesus knew who was there to mourn, and who was there only for their own benefit and to gossip. Even so, Jesus didn’t withhold His miracle of love for Lazarus because he understood deeply something Saint Mother Teresa so eloquently put into words:
“People are often unreasonable, illogical, and self-centered; forgive them anyway.
If you are kind, people may accuse you of selfish, ulterior motives; be kind anyway.
If you are successful, you will win some false friends and some true enemies; succeed anyway.
If you are honest and frank, people may cheat you; be honest and frank anyway.
What you spend years building, someone could destroy overnight; build anyway.
If you find serenity and happiness, they may be jealous; be happy anyway.
The good you do today, people will often forget tomorrow; do good anyway.
Give the world the best you have, and it may never be enough; give the world the best you’ve got anyway.
You see, in the final analysis, it is between you and God; it was never between you and them anyway.”
¿Alguna vez has sentido que algunas personas solo te acompañan durante los momentos felices de tu viaje, pero desaparecen cuando las cosas se ponen difíciles? Estoy segura de que todos nos hemos sentido así. Sin embargo, me pregunto cuántos de nosotros hemos sentido lo contrario. Yo sí. Algunas personas han llegado a mi vida durante los momentos difíciles porque quieren verme fracasar. Y esto es muy difícil de aceptar.
Noto este mismo concepto en el Evangelio de hoy. Cuando María y Marta estaban de luto, muchos miembros de su comunidad vinieron a ayudar y a llorar con ellas. Sin embargo, algunos de ellos vinieron con motivos ulteriores; cuando vieron que Jesús estaba allí, fueron directamente a los fariseos para denunciarlo. En esta situación, Jesús sabía quién estaba allí para llorar y quién estaba allí solo para su propio beneficio y para chismear. Aun así, Jesús no retuvo su milagro de amor por Lázaro porque comprendió profundamente algo que la Santa Madre Teresa expresó con tanta elocuencia:
“La gente a menudo es irrazonable, ilógica y egocéntrica; Perdónalos de todas formas.
Si eres amable, la gente puede acusarte del egoísmo, de motivos ulteriores; sé amable de todos modos.
Si tienes éxito, ganarás algunos falsos amigos y algunos verdaderos enemigos; ten éxito de todos modos.
Si eres honesto y franco, la gente puede engañarte; sé honesto y franco de todos modos.
Lo que pasaste años construyendo, alguien podría destruirlo de la noche a la mañana; construye de todos modos.
Si encuentras serenidad y felicidad, pueden estar celosos; sé feliz de todos modos.
El bien que haces hoy, la gente a menudo lo olvidará mañana; haz el bien de todos modos.
Dale al mundo lo mejor que tienes, y puede que nunca sea suficiente; dale al mundo lo mejor que tienes de todos modos.
Porque en el análisis final es entre tú y Dios; nunca fue entre tú y ellos de todos modos”.
Lily, age 23, is a Michigan native and cradle Catholic who has spent most of her life exploring her own reasons to embrace her faith fully. She attended Franciscan University of Steubenville, where she discovered the beauty of her personal relationship with Christ and the Church. After college, she worked in Montessori Education for three years and recently transitioned to nannying. She is excitedly preparing for marriage in May 2025 and spends most of her time reading, wedding planning, and enjoying her dog and family!
Feature Image Credit: Daniel Reche, pexels.com/photo/photo-of-woman-raising-both-hands-1556691/
The views and opinions expressed in the Inspiration Daily blog are solely those of the original authors and contributors. These views and opinions do not necessarily represent those of Diocesan, the Diocesan staff, or other contributors to this blog.
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