28 February, 2024 | Wednesday of the Second Week of Lent

 Reading 1 Jer 18:18-20

Gospel Mt 20:17-28

As Jesus was going up to Jerusalem,

he took the Twelve disciples aside by themselves,

and said to them on the way,

"Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem,

and the Son of Man will be handed over to the chief priests

and the scribes,

and they will condemn him to death,

and hand him over to the Gentiles

to be mocked and scourged and crucified,

and he will be raised on the third day."

Then 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."

Reflection:

Jesus aware of his impending suffering and death made it known to His disciples. He was willing to go forward with this because   it was part of his Father's plan. When James and John agreed that they would drink from the same cup as Jesus, ready to face suffering and opposition in order to follow Him and continue Jesus’ ministry. Jesus explains to his disciples that, to get a position of honour in the God’s kingdom, they won’t be judged by the number of people serving them but instead on the number of people they served. Being a follower of Jesus is not easy because God’s will often involves earthly suffering. Suffering will give us the chance to please  God. It is the invitation to follow Jesus’ example of taking the path of self-emptying service of others. The path where the Spirit moves us to take, and the prayer that the Spirit inspires in us which will lead us to the path of self-emptying love of others. Understanding Jesus’s service is to become bread for others.  

Activity:

Learn to serve others, that we may become great in the sight of God.

Reflections: Clara Joyrimoon FSP

Vocie: AI - Xiaochen