In the gospel today Jesus says, "I cannot do anything on my own." Hw many of us can or would even want to say that?
The drive for independence is not only something we learn but seems to be hard-wired into us. Toddler will often get angry when offered help even when they cannot do the activity alone. Our culture aggravates the situation by almost worshiping self-sufficiency and treating dependency as a disease to be overcome.
Jesus teaches the opposite, even on Good Friday, Jesus accepts the assistance of Simon.
We pray the words, "Thy will be done" but we still want to be in charge of the doing. Jesus's words today are a model for us. Not only should we say, "I do not do anything on my own" but we should come to realize, "I cannot do anything on my own" at least not the things I should do. Why? Because love which should motivate my every action is not a natural but a theological virtue. It comes from God, who is Love itself.
Perhaps we need to repeat the words of Jesus even if we don't really believe them, and perhaps if you keep repeating them each day, you will come to believe
I cannot do anything on my own.
