A Reading from the Holy Gospel according to Matthew (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.”
It is easy to look down on James and John, but let us be honest: how often, do we act exactly like them? We live in a world that praises the “self-made” person, the influencer, the one with the most followers, the loudest voice, or the highest position.
Today’s human Christian action, and I am no exception, frequently falls into this same trap. We “lord it over” (bossed over) others, just as Jesus warned, by demanding recognition for our charitable works. We pray, not to align our hearts with God, but to ask for favors, that make our lives more comfortable or prestigious. We volunteer but get indignant—like the other ten apostles—when our work is not praised. We fall into the temptation, of using our Christian identity to build our own kingdom, rather than God’s. We act for our own glory, seeking to be served, rather than to serve.
One of my favorite Deacon Stoles, is the one with the image of Jesus washing the feet of one of His disciples. I love this image, and it is always a reminder to me, to the call of service, I was ordained for as a Permanent Deacon, a Servant Ministry; A sacramental sign of Christ, who came “to serve and not to be served,” intended to be a servant-leader in a servant-Church.
Today’s Gospel teaches on the Counter-Cultural Definition of Greatness. Right after the mother of James and John approach Jesus with a request for power, Jesus immediately corrects their foolish desire. Jesus doesn’t dismiss their desire for greatness; He redefines it completely. “…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.”
True Christian greatness is not measured by authority, superiority, selfishness, but by willing humble service. It is not about how many people serve you, but how many you serve, willingly. Jesus even points to His own life, as the ultimate example: “…the Son of Man did not come to be served but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many.” My brothers and sisters in Christ, if our actions do not flow, from a humble desire, to serve others willingly, for their benefit, then we are not acting in the spirit of Christ.
ACTION FOR THE DAY: Meditate on today’s Gospel, and the desire the sons of Zebedee and their mother had. Then, recall a recent time, when you may have acted, in the same foolish way they did, and you may have thought of yourself, above others; be at home, work, school, Mass, in a ministry you serve, or your neighbor? Then, through your own prayers, seek the help of the Holy Spirit, the Paraclete, to stop you from seeking, your own glory, which is temporary, and start seeking the glory of God, which is eternal.
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