25 July, 2023 |Feast of Saint James, Apostle

 Gospel Mt 20:20-28

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."

Reflections:

The Son of Man did not come to be served but to serve. The disciples felt indignant towards James and John because they thought they would be given positions of their choice. These have not correctly understood the kingdom and they wanted to have the first place. In the Gospel according to  Mark it is James and John directly approaching Jesus for positions of power in the 'kingdom'. They have not understood it is the chalice of suffering that they will have to partake in. It is the humble service that makes one deserving of the kingdom, and not the craving for power and position.

Activity:

When you do something try not to crave for attention and appreciation; rather  do it for the glory of God.