Friends,
today in our Gospel the mother of James and John asks Jesus on their
behalf for high places of authority in his kingdom. Ah, there is the
voice of ambition. Some people don’t care at all about money or power or
pleasure—but they care passionately about honor. A lot of people can
identify with James and John. They want to go places; they want to be
movers and shakers in society. Perhaps a number of people reading this
reflection are filled with these emotions.
But
Jesus turns the tables on them: "You do not know what you are asking."
He is indeed a King, and he will indeed rule Israel, but his crown will
be made of thorns, and his throne will be a Roman instrument of torture.
And
so he tries to clarify: "Can you drink the chalice that I am going to
drink?" The key to honor in the kingdom of God is to drink the cup of
suffering, to be willing to suffer out of love, to give one’s life away
as a gift. Look at the lives of the saints. It is not about aggrandizing
the ego, but emptying it
out.
Feast of Saint James, Apostle
Lectionary: 605
Brothers and sisters:
We hold this treasure in earthen vessels,
that the surpassing power may be of God and not from us.
We are afflicted in every way, but not constrained;
perplexed, but not driven to despair;
persecuted, but not abandoned;
struck down, but not destroyed;
always carrying about in the body the dying of Jesus,
so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our body.
For we who live are constantly being given up to death
for the sake of Jesus,
so that the life of Jesus may be manifested in our mortal flesh.
So death is at work in us, but life in you.
Since, then, we have the same spirit of faith,
according to what is written,
I believed, therefore I spoke,we too believe and therefore speak,
knowing that the one who raised the Lord Jesus
will raise us also with Jesus
and place us with you in his presence.
Everything indeed is for you,
so that the grace bestowed in abundance on more and more people
may cause the thanksgiving to overflow for the glory of God.
The mother of the sons of Zebedee approached Jesus with her sons
and did him homage, wishing to ask him for something.
He said to her,
"What do you wish?"
She answered him,
"Command that these two sons of mine sit,
one at your right and the other at your left, in your Kingdom."
Jesus said in reply,
"You do not know what you are asking.
Can you drink the chalice that I am going to drink?"
They said to him, "We can."
He replied,
"My chalice you will indeed drink,
but to sit at my right and at my left, this is not mine to give
but is for those for whom it has been prepared by my Father."
When the ten heard this,
they became indignant at the two brothers.
But Jesus summoned them and said,
"You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them,
and the great ones make their authority over them felt.
But it shall not be so among you.
Rather, whoever wishes to be great among you shall be your servant;
whoever wishes to be first among you shall be your slave.
Just so, the Son of Man did not come to be served
but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many."
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