25 July, 2024 | Feast of Saint James, Apostle

 2 Cor 4:7-15, 

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."

Reflection:

Today, on the feast day of the Apostle James, we are asked to reflect on our human urge for power and position. Ambition could have place in the life of disciples of Jesus but in a balanced level so that it does not step on others. Yet, James and his brother John were looking for worldly honour and power. But Jesus tells them that as his disciples they should be willing to imitate him who came to serve and not to be served, and then be ready to share in his sufferings. Ambition in its extreme is worse than cancer in a body. Jesus instructs the two brothers and all the twelve Apostles how they should live together as his disciples. Are we willing to be true disciples of the Lord? 

Activity: 

Examine and see, in which position you are seeking for power; ask the Lord grace to consider others better than yourself.