Wednesday
of the Second Week of Lent
Lectionary: 232
Lectionary: 232
The
people of Judah and the citizens of Jerusalem said,
“Come, let us contrive a plot against Jeremiah.
It will not mean the loss of instruction from the priests,
nor of counsel from the wise, nor of messages from the prophets.
And so, let us destroy him by his own tongue;
let us carefully note his every word.”
Heed me, O LORD,
and listen to what my adversaries say.
Must good be repaid with evil
that they should dig a pit to take my life?
Remember that I stood before you
to speak in their behalf,
to turn away your wrath from them.
“Come, let us contrive a plot against Jeremiah.
It will not mean the loss of instruction from the priests,
nor of counsel from the wise, nor of messages from the prophets.
And so, let us destroy him by his own tongue;
let us carefully note his every word.”
Heed me, O LORD,
and listen to what my adversaries say.
Must good be repaid with evil
that they should dig a pit to take my life?
Remember that I stood before you
to speak in their behalf,
to turn away your wrath from them.
Responsorial
PsalmPS 31:5-6, 14, 15-16
R.
(17b) Save me, O Lord, in your kindness.
You will free me from the snare they set for me,
for you are my refuge.
Into your hands I commend my spirit;
you will redeem me, O LORD, O faithful God.
R. Save me, O Lord, in your kindness.
I hear the whispers of the crowd, that frighten me from every side,
as they consult together against me, plotting to take my life.
R. Save me, O Lord, in your kindness.
But my trust is in you, O LORD;
I say, “You are my God.”
In your hands is my destiny; rescue me
from the clutches of my enemies and my persecutors.
R. Save me, O Lord, in your kindness.
You will free me from the snare they set for me,
for you are my refuge.
Into your hands I commend my spirit;
you will redeem me, O LORD, O faithful God.
R. Save me, O Lord, in your kindness.
I hear the whispers of the crowd, that frighten me from every side,
as they consult together against me, plotting to take my life.
R. Save me, O Lord, in your kindness.
But my trust is in you, O LORD;
I say, “You are my God.”
In your hands is my destiny; rescue me
from the clutches of my enemies and my persecutors.
R. Save me, O Lord, in your kindness.
Verse
Before The GospelJN 8:12
I am
the light of the world, says the Lord;
whoever follows me will have the light of life.
whoever follows me will have the light of life.
GospelMT 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.”
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.”
Meditation: Can
you drink Christ's cup?
Who or what takes first
place in your life? You and what you want to do with your life or God and what
he desires for you? When personal goals and ambitions are at odds with God's
will, whose will prevails? The prophet Jeremiah spoke a word that was at odds
with what the people wanted. The word which Jeremiah spoke was not his personal
opinion but the divinely inspired word which God commanded him to speak.
Jeremiah met stiff opposition and even threats to his life for speaking God's
word. Jeremiah pleaded with God when others plotted to not only silence him but
to destroy him as well. Jesus also met stiff opposition from those who opposed
his authority to speak and act in God's name. Jesus prophesied that he would be
rejected by the religious authorities in Jerusalem and be condemned to death by
crucifixion - the most painful and humiliating death the Romans had devised for
enemies who opposed their authority.
Jesus called himself the
"Son of Man" (Matthew 20:17) - a prophetic title for the Messiah
which came from the Book of Daniel. Daniel was given a prophetic vision of a
"Son of Man" who is given great authority and power to rule over the
earth on behalf of God. But if Jesus is the Messiah and "Son of Man"
prophesied by Daniel, why must he be rejected and killed? Did not God promise
that his Anointed One would deliver his people from their oppression and
establish a kingdom of peace and justice? The prophet Isaiah had foretold that
it was God’s will that the "Suffering Servant" who is "God's
Chosen One" (Isaiah 42:1) must first make atonement for sins through his
suffering and death (Isaiah 53:5-12) and then be raised to establish justice on
the earth (Isaiah 42:4). Jesus paid the price for our redemption with his own
blood. Jesus' life did not end with death on the cross - he triumphed over the
grave when he rose victorious on the third day. If we want to share in the
Lord's victory over sin and death then we will need to follow his way of the
cross by renouncing my will for his will, and my way for his way of self-sacrificing
love and holiness.
Seeking privilege and
power
Right after Jesus had prophesied his impending death on the cross, the mother of James and John brought her sons before Jesus privately for a special request. She asked on their behalf for Jesus to grant them a special status among the disciples, namely to be placed in the highest position of privilege and power. Rulers placed their second-in-command at their right and left side. James and John were asking Jesus to place them above their fellow disciples.
Right after Jesus had prophesied his impending death on the cross, the mother of James and John brought her sons before Jesus privately for a special request. She asked on their behalf for Jesus to grant them a special status among the disciples, namely to be placed in the highest position of privilege and power. Rulers placed their second-in-command at their right and left side. James and John were asking Jesus to place them above their fellow disciples.
Don't we often do the
same? We want to get ahead and get the best position where we can be served
first. Jesus responds by telling James and John that they do not understand
what they are really asking for. The only way one can advance in God's kingdom
is by submitting one's whole life in faith and obedience to God. Jesus
surrendered his will to the will of his Father - he willingly chose the
Father's path to glory - a path that would lead to suffering and death,
redemption and new life.
When the other ten
disciples heard what James and John had done, they were very resentful and
angry. How unfair for James and John to seek first place for themselves. Jesus
called the twelve together and showed them the true and rightful purpose for
seeking power and position - to serve the good of others with love and
righteousness. Authority without love, a love that is oriented towards the good
of others, easily becomes self-serving and brutish.
Jesus does the
unthinkable - he reverses the order and values of the world's way of thinking.
If you want to be great then become a servant for others. If you want to be
first, then became a slave rather than a master. How shocking and contradictory
these words must have rang in the disciples ears and in our own ears as well! Power
and position are tools that can be used to serve and advance one's own
interests or to serve the interests of others. In the ancient world servants
and slaves had no personal choice - they were compelled to serve the interests
of their masters and do whatever they were commanded.
Freedom and servanthood
The model of servanthood which Jesus presents to his disciples is based on personal choice and freedom - the decision to put others first in my care and concern and the freedom to serve them with love and compassion rather than with fear or desire for reward. That is why the Apostle Paul summed up Jesus' teaching on freedom and love with the exhortation, "For freedom Christ has set us free... only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh [for indulging in sinful and selfish desires], but through love be servants of one another" (Galatians 5:1,13). Jesus, the Lord and Master, sets himself as the example. He told his disciples that he "came not to be served but to serve" (Matthew 20:28). True servanthood is neither demeaning nor oppressive because its motivating force is love rather than pride or fear.
The model of servanthood which Jesus presents to his disciples is based on personal choice and freedom - the decision to put others first in my care and concern and the freedom to serve them with love and compassion rather than with fear or desire for reward. That is why the Apostle Paul summed up Jesus' teaching on freedom and love with the exhortation, "For freedom Christ has set us free... only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh [for indulging in sinful and selfish desires], but through love be servants of one another" (Galatians 5:1,13). Jesus, the Lord and Master, sets himself as the example. He told his disciples that he "came not to be served but to serve" (Matthew 20:28). True servanthood is neither demeaning nor oppressive because its motivating force is love rather than pride or fear.
The Lord Jesus summed up
his mission by telling his disciples that he came "to give his life as a
ransom for many" (Matthew 20:28). The shedding of his blood on the cross
was the payment for our sins - a ransom that sets us free from slavery to wrong
and hurtful desires and addictions. Jesus laid down his life for us. This death
to self is the key that sets us free to offer our lives as a sacrifice of
thanksgiving and love for the Lord and for the people he calls us to serve.
Can you drink my cup?
The Lord Jesus asks each of us the same question he asked of James and John, "Can you drink the cup that I am to drink"? The cup he had in mind was a cup of sacrificial service and death to self - even death on a cross. What kind of cup might the Lord Jesus have in mind for each one of us who are his followers? For some disciples such a cup will entail physical suffering and the painful struggle of martyrdom - the readiness to die for one's faith in Christ. But for many followers of Jesus Christ, it entails the long routine of the Christian life, with all its daily sacrifices, disappointments, set-backs, struggles, and temptations. A disciple must be ready to lay down his or her life in martyrdom for Christ and be ready to lay it down each and every day in the little and big sacrifices required as well.
The Lord Jesus asks each of us the same question he asked of James and John, "Can you drink the cup that I am to drink"? The cup he had in mind was a cup of sacrificial service and death to self - even death on a cross. What kind of cup might the Lord Jesus have in mind for each one of us who are his followers? For some disciples such a cup will entail physical suffering and the painful struggle of martyrdom - the readiness to die for one's faith in Christ. But for many followers of Jesus Christ, it entails the long routine of the Christian life, with all its daily sacrifices, disappointments, set-backs, struggles, and temptations. A disciple must be ready to lay down his or her life in martyrdom for Christ and be ready to lay it down each and every day in the little and big sacrifices required as well.
An early church father
summed up Jesus' teaching with the expression "to serve is to reign with
Christ". We share in God’s reign by laying down our lives in humble
service of one another as Jesus did for our sake. Are you ready to lay down
your life and to serve others as Jesus did?
"Lord Jesus, make
me a servant of love for your kingdom, that I may seek to serve rather than be
served. Inflame my heart with your love that I may give generously and serve
others joyfully for your sake."
A Daily Quote for Lent: Do you wish to
be great?, by Augustine of Hippo, 354-430 A.D.
"Do you wish to be
great? Then begin from what is slightest. Do you plan to construct a high and
mighty building? Then think first about the foundation of humility. When people
plan to erect a lofty and large building, they make the foundations all the
deeper. But those who lay the foundation are forced to descend into the
depths." (excerpt from Sermon 69, 2)
WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 24,
MATTHEW 20:17-28
Lenten Weekday
(Jeremiah 18:18-20; Psalm 31)
Lenten Weekday
(Jeremiah 18:18-20; Psalm 31)
KEY VERSE: "Whoever wishes to be great among you shall be your servant" (v 26).
TO KNOW: For the third time in Matthew's gospel, Jesus taught his disciples about his coming passion and death, yet they still did not comprehend the reality of his words. A woman (Zebedee's wife in Mt 4:21) approached Jesus with the request for recognition for her sons James and John. She wanted them to receive special honor in Jesus' kingdom. Her misconception was that Jesus' reign was an earthly rule with temporal authority. The other disciples were indignant (perhaps they wished that they had thought of it first). Jesus reminded them that the way to the kingdom was not the path to glory. Being a disciple meant humble submission to the will of God. Jesus did not come to be served, but to offer his life as a ransom for those held captive to sin--the way of the cross.
TO LOVE: Are my motives for Christian service self-serving?
TO SERVE: Lord Jesus, teach me this Lent to follow your example of humble service.
Wednesday 24 February 2016
Wed 24th. Jeremiah 18:18-20. Save me, O Lord, in your
steadfast love—Ps 30(31):5-6, 14-16. Matthew 20:17-28.
Is God an angry God?
The lawyer and author Gil Bailie once said that the
bible does involve an angry and unjust god, but in a strange twist, Jesus comes
to reveal that it is we who are the angry and unjust god.
Jeremiah suffered such anger on his own person, as
those around him plotted to destroy the only one that stood up for them in the
face of God’s justice. Augustine wrote that in a world tainted by sin and
separated from God, true justice can never be found.
We sometimes wish God to overcome all this anger and
injustice by inflicting a more powerful force to snuff them out. Instead, Jesus
reveals the world's injustice not by overpowering the world. Rather, as is
written in today's Gospel, the Messiah ‘overcomes the world’ by subjecting
himself to its power, to its anger, to its injustice. And through his wounded
body, the powers and principalities of this world come undone, and their
injustice exposed. In Christ, we not only come to see how the last become
first, but also come to see that through his Passion, our angry gods have been
overcome.
MINUTE
MEDITATIONS
|
Connect With Jesus
|
Jesus didn’t want people to see him as a magician or even as a
messiah. He wanted more, for people to connect with him, to know him, from
within themselves. There are also signs and wonders associated with that. But
they are not magical. They are the real signs of a wondrous transformation of
self, produced by the relationship we call faith.
February
24
Blessed Luke Belludi
(1200-c. 1285)
Blessed Luke Belludi
(1200-c. 1285)
In 1220, St. Anthony was preaching
conversion to the inhabitants of Padua when a young nobleman, Luke Belludi,
came up to him and humbly asked to receive the habit of the followers of St.
Francis. Anthony liked the talented, well-educated Luke and personally
recommended him to St. Francis, who then received him into the Franciscan
Order.
Luke, then only 20, was to be Anthony's companion in
his travels and in his preaching, tending to him in his last days and taking
Anthony's place upon his death. He was appointed guardian of the Friars Minor
in the city of Padua. In 1239 the city fell into the hands of its enemies.
Nobles were put to death, the mayor and council were banished, the great
university of Padua gradually closed and the church dedicated to St. Anthony
was left unfinished. Luke himself was expelled from the city but secretly
returned. At night he and the new guardian would visit the tomb of St. Anthony
in the unfinished shrine to pray for his help. One night a voice came from the
tomb assuring them that the city would soon be delivered from its evil tyrant.
After the fulfillment of the prophetic message, Luke
was elected provincial minister and furthered the completion of the great
basilica in honor of Anthony, his teacher. He founded many convents of the
order and had, as Anthony, the gift of miracles. Upon his death he was laid to
rest in the basilica that he had helped finish and has had a continual
veneration up to the present time.
Comment:
The epistles refer several times to a man named Luke as Paul’s trusted companion on his missionary journeys. Perhaps every great preacher needs a Luke; Anthony surely did. Luke Belludi not only accompanied Anthony on his travels, he also cared for the great saint in his final illness and carried on Anthony’s mission after the saint’s death. Yes, every preacher needs a Luke, someone to offer support and reassurance—including those who minister to us. We don’t even have to change our names!
The epistles refer several times to a man named Luke as Paul’s trusted companion on his missionary journeys. Perhaps every great preacher needs a Luke; Anthony surely did. Luke Belludi not only accompanied Anthony on his travels, he also cared for the great saint in his final illness and carried on Anthony’s mission after the saint’s death. Yes, every preacher needs a Luke, someone to offer support and reassurance—including those who minister to us. We don’t even have to change our names!
LECTIO DIVINA: MATTHEW 20,17-28
Lectio Divina:
Wednesday, February 24, 2016
Lent Time
1) Opening prayer
Lord our God,
your prophets remind us
in season and out of season
of our responsibilities toward you
and toward the world of people.
When they disturb and upset us,
let it be a holy disturbance
that makes us restless, eager to do your will
and to bring justice and love around us.
We ask you this through Christ our Lord.
your prophets remind us
in season and out of season
of our responsibilities toward you
and toward the world of people.
When they disturb and upset us,
let it be a holy disturbance
that makes us restless, eager to do your will
and to bring justice and love around us.
We ask you this through Christ our Lord.
2) Gospel Reading - Matthew 20, 17-28
Jesus was going up to Jerusalem, and on
the road he took the Twelve aside by themselves and said to them, 'Look, we are
going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of man is about to be handed over to the
chief priests and scribes. They will condemn him to death and will hand him
over to the gentiles to be mocked and scourged and crucified; and on the third
day he will be raised up again.'
Then the mother of Zebedee's sons came with her sons to make a request of him, and bowed low; and he said to her, 'What is it you want?' She said to him, 'Promise that these two sons of mine may sit one at your right hand and the other at your left in your kingdom.' Jesus answered, 'You do not know what you are asking. Can you drink the cup that I am going to drink?' They replied, 'We can.' He said to them, 'Very well; you shall drink my cup, but as for seats at my right hand and my left, these are not mine to grant; they belong to those to whom they have been allotted by my Father.'
When the other ten heard this they were indignant with the two brothers. But Jesus called them to him and said, 'You know that among the gentiles the rulers lord it over them, and great men make their authority felt. Among you this is not to happen. No; anyone who wants to become great among you must be your servant, and anyone who wants to be first among you must be your slave, just as the Son of man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.'
Then the mother of Zebedee's sons came with her sons to make a request of him, and bowed low; and he said to her, 'What is it you want?' She said to him, 'Promise that these two sons of mine may sit one at your right hand and the other at your left in your kingdom.' Jesus answered, 'You do not know what you are asking. Can you drink the cup that I am going to drink?' They replied, 'We can.' He said to them, 'Very well; you shall drink my cup, but as for seats at my right hand and my left, these are not mine to grant; they belong to those to whom they have been allotted by my Father.'
When the other ten heard this they were indignant with the two brothers. But Jesus called them to him and said, 'You know that among the gentiles the rulers lord it over them, and great men make their authority felt. Among you this is not to happen. No; anyone who wants to become great among you must be your servant, and anyone who wants to be first among you must be your slave, just as the Son of man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.'
3) Reflection
• Today’s Gospel presents three points:
the third announcement of the Passion (Mt 20, 17-19), the petition of the
Mother of the sons of Zebedee (Mt 20, 20-23) and the discussion of the
disciples regarding the first place (Mt 20, 24-28).
• Matthew 20, 17-19: The third announcement of the Passion. Going toward Jerusalem, Jesus walks in front of them. He knows that he is going to be killed. The Prophet Isaiah had already announced it (Is 50, 4-6; 53, 1-10). His death is not the fruit of a plan established in advance, but the consequence of the commitment taken concerning the mission received from the Father, to be at the side of the excluded of his time. This is why Jesus speaks to the disciples about the tortures and death that he will have to face in Jerusalem. The disciple should follow the Master, even if he has to suffer like he. The disciples are frightened and accompany him with fear. They do not understand what is happening (cfr. Lk 18, 34). Suffering did not correspond to the idea that they had of the Messiah (cfr. Mt 16, 21-23).
• Matthew 20, 20-21: The petition of the mother to obtain the first place for her sons. The disciples do not only not understand the importance and significance of the message of Jesus, but they continue with their own personal ambitions. When Jesus insists on service and the gift of oneself, they continue to ask for the first places in the Kingdom. The mother of James and John, taking her sons with her, gets close to Jesus . The two did not understand the proposal of Jesus. They were concerned only about their own interests. This is a sign that the dominating ideology of that time had profoundly penetrated in the mentality of the disciples. In spite of the fact of having lived with Jesus several years, they had not renewed their way of seeing things. They looked at Jesus as always, with the same look. They wanted a reward for the fact of following Jesus. The same tensions existed in the communities of the time of Matthew and they still exist today in our own communities.
• Matthew 20-22-23: Jesus’ answer. Jesus reacts firmly: ”You do not know what you are asking for!” And he asks if they are capable of drinking the chalice that he, Jesus, will drink and if they are ready to receive the baptism which he will receive. It is the chalice of suffering, the baptism of blood! Jesus wants to know if they, instead of the places of honour, accept to give their life up to death. Both answer: “We can!” It seems to be a response not given from within, because a few days later, they abandoned Jesus and left him alone at the hour of suffering (Mk 14, 50). They do not have a great critical knowledge, they do not perceive their personal reality. In what concerns the first place, the place of honour, in the Kingdom at the side of Jesus, the one who grants this is the Father. What he, Jesus, has to offer, is the chalice and the baptism, suffering and the cross.
• Matthew 20, 24-27: It should not be like that among you: Jesus speaks once again, on the exercise of power (cfr. Mk 9, 33-35). At that time those who held power did not give an account to people. They acted as they wished (cfr. Mk 6, 27-28). The Roman Empire controlled the world and maintained it submitted with the force of the arms and in this way, through tributes, taxes, succeeded in concentrating the riches of the people in the hands of a few in Rome. Society was characterized by the repressive and abusive exercise of power. Jesus had an altogether different proposal. He said: “It should not be like that among you; but the one who wants to become great among you, should become a servant, and the one who wants to be the first one among you, will become your slave!” He teaches against privileges and rivalry. He wants to change the system and insists on the fact that service is the remedy against personal ambition.
• Matthew 20, 28: The summary of the life of Jesus. Jesus defines his mission and his life: “I have not come to be served but to serve!” He has come to give his own life for the salvation of many. He is the Messiah Servant, announced by the Prophet Isaiah (cfr. Is 42, 1-9; 49, 1-6; 50, 4-9); 52, 13-53, 12). He learnt from his Mother who said: “Behold, the handmaid of the Lord!” (Lk 1, 38). A totally new proposal for the society of that time.
• Matthew 20, 17-19: The third announcement of the Passion. Going toward Jerusalem, Jesus walks in front of them. He knows that he is going to be killed. The Prophet Isaiah had already announced it (Is 50, 4-6; 53, 1-10). His death is not the fruit of a plan established in advance, but the consequence of the commitment taken concerning the mission received from the Father, to be at the side of the excluded of his time. This is why Jesus speaks to the disciples about the tortures and death that he will have to face in Jerusalem. The disciple should follow the Master, even if he has to suffer like he. The disciples are frightened and accompany him with fear. They do not understand what is happening (cfr. Lk 18, 34). Suffering did not correspond to the idea that they had of the Messiah (cfr. Mt 16, 21-23).
• Matthew 20, 20-21: The petition of the mother to obtain the first place for her sons. The disciples do not only not understand the importance and significance of the message of Jesus, but they continue with their own personal ambitions. When Jesus insists on service and the gift of oneself, they continue to ask for the first places in the Kingdom. The mother of James and John, taking her sons with her, gets close to Jesus . The two did not understand the proposal of Jesus. They were concerned only about their own interests. This is a sign that the dominating ideology of that time had profoundly penetrated in the mentality of the disciples. In spite of the fact of having lived with Jesus several years, they had not renewed their way of seeing things. They looked at Jesus as always, with the same look. They wanted a reward for the fact of following Jesus. The same tensions existed in the communities of the time of Matthew and they still exist today in our own communities.
• Matthew 20-22-23: Jesus’ answer. Jesus reacts firmly: ”You do not know what you are asking for!” And he asks if they are capable of drinking the chalice that he, Jesus, will drink and if they are ready to receive the baptism which he will receive. It is the chalice of suffering, the baptism of blood! Jesus wants to know if they, instead of the places of honour, accept to give their life up to death. Both answer: “We can!” It seems to be a response not given from within, because a few days later, they abandoned Jesus and left him alone at the hour of suffering (Mk 14, 50). They do not have a great critical knowledge, they do not perceive their personal reality. In what concerns the first place, the place of honour, in the Kingdom at the side of Jesus, the one who grants this is the Father. What he, Jesus, has to offer, is the chalice and the baptism, suffering and the cross.
• Matthew 20, 24-27: It should not be like that among you: Jesus speaks once again, on the exercise of power (cfr. Mk 9, 33-35). At that time those who held power did not give an account to people. They acted as they wished (cfr. Mk 6, 27-28). The Roman Empire controlled the world and maintained it submitted with the force of the arms and in this way, through tributes, taxes, succeeded in concentrating the riches of the people in the hands of a few in Rome. Society was characterized by the repressive and abusive exercise of power. Jesus had an altogether different proposal. He said: “It should not be like that among you; but the one who wants to become great among you, should become a servant, and the one who wants to be the first one among you, will become your slave!” He teaches against privileges and rivalry. He wants to change the system and insists on the fact that service is the remedy against personal ambition.
• Matthew 20, 28: The summary of the life of Jesus. Jesus defines his mission and his life: “I have not come to be served but to serve!” He has come to give his own life for the salvation of many. He is the Messiah Servant, announced by the Prophet Isaiah (cfr. Is 42, 1-9; 49, 1-6; 50, 4-9); 52, 13-53, 12). He learnt from his Mother who said: “Behold, the handmaid of the Lord!” (Lk 1, 38). A totally new proposal for the society of that time.
4) Personal questions
• James and John ask for a favour, Jesus
promises suffering. And I, what do I ask Jesus for in my prayer? How do I
accept suffering and the pains and sorrow which come to me in my life?
• Jesus said: “It should not be like that among you!” Does my way of living in community follow this advice of Jesus?
• Jesus said: “It should not be like that among you!” Does my way of living in community follow this advice of Jesus?
5) Concluding Prayer
Draw me out of the net they have spread
for me,
for you are my refuge;
to your hands I commit my spirit,
by you have I been redeemed. God of truth. (Ps 31,4-5)
for you are my refuge;
to your hands I commit my spirit,
by you have I been redeemed. God of truth. (Ps 31,4-5)
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