Today's Reflections
The Request of James and John
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Mt 20:17-28
17As Jesus was going up to Jerusalem, he took the twelve [disciples] aside by themselves...
20Then the mother of the sons of Zebedee approached him with her sons and did him homage, wishing to ask him for something. 21He
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.” 22Jesus said in reply, “You do not know what
you are asking. Can you drink the cup that I am going to drink?” They
said to him, “We can.” 23He replied, “My cup 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.”
24When the ten heard this, they became indignant at the two brothers. 25But
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. 26But it shall not be so among you. Rather, whoever wishes to be great among you shall be your servant; 27whoever wishes to be first among you shall be your slave. 28Just so, the Son of Man did not come to be served but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many.”
Reflection:
Whoever wishes to be great. Jesus
drives home in the Gospel a lesson which he has a hard time making his
disciples understand, and which even today is often not learned by
Christians and Church officials. The lesson is this: we are correct to
aspire for greatness. But true greatness does not lie in our holding
high positions in the community but in our service carried out in a
spirit of love. This is service that is not content to do acts of
service but is willing to lay down one’s life for those that one serves.
This is service that follows the example of Jesus who “did not come to
be served but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many.”
If you want to be great,
trace a service path instead of a career path.
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