Father, teach us to lead good lives, encourage us with your support and bring us to eternal life. Amen
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.”
Jesus foretells that his revolutionary message will eventually so shake the foundations of the existing power structure to the point that he will be put to death, but triumph over it three days. But in an instance of true irony, the disciples appear to listen to His message with the same tin ear that afflicts all of us. The same shortcomings of envy and pride that will cause the scribes and the chief priests to seize Jesus, overcome the disciples. When James & John, two his disciples appear to be lobbying for special treatment and entrance into God’s kingdom, the other ten, become “indignant” as if to say: “Hold on, I’m at least as important as they are!”
We humans haven’t changed much in thousands of years. Most of us like to be honored, told we are doing a good job and making a positive difference. That’s fine if we leave it that. What we need to contain is the urge to tear others down to create the illusion that we are more important and worthy. The best sorts of leaders are those who are quick to give credit to others. They don’t shift the blame to others but take responsibility for their failings.
As we work thru Lent, let’s all work on being more humble and giving more credit to others. We don’t always remember or even understand that what we do is seen by others and has an influence on their lives. Each of us is a model to someone-even if only for a moment- so it is important to think first and then act or speak in the way we really want to.... as our Lord, Jesus Christ has taught us.
God of Love, through this Lenten journey, purify our desire to serve you. Free us from any temptations to judge others, to place ourselves above others. Please let us surrender even our impatience with others, that with your love and your grace, we might be less and less absorbed with ourselves, and more and more full of the desire to follow you, and live our lives according to your example. Amen
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