To Serve and Not to be Served

March 03, 2021, Wednesday

Wednesday of the Second Week of Lent (Violet)

CYCLE B - YEAR I

RDGS: JER 18:18-20/ PS 31:5-6. 14. 15-16

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."

GOSPEL REFLECTION:

Greatness with Jesus has little to do with success, reputation or wealth. It has to do with being like a slave, one of the least honourable titles of the times. The slave would do as he or she was told, and was at the service of the master or mistress. But a slave in those times also was honoured, almost adopted, member of the family. We are glad to be slaves in this sense - the ones who live for the service of God and are honoured by God in love.

Although James and John allowed their mother to speak for them, it was to them that Jesus directed his reply. As I pray for others, asking for their good, I pray also that they will notice God's action in their lives and be drawn more deeply into conversation with God.

PRAYER:

I ask for what I need, but allow God to answer. God knows my abilities and will give me what I need, even if not always what I want.