To Serve and Not to be Served

FEBRUARY 28, 2024 - WEDNESDAY
Wednesday of the Second Week of Lent (Violet)
Lectionary: 232
CYCLE B - YEAR II

Reading 1
Jer 18:18-20

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.

Responsorial Psalm
Ps 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.

Verse Before the Gospel
Jn 8:12

I am the light of the world, says the Lord;
whoever follows me will have the light of life.

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:

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 honorable 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 an honored, 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 honored 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.