In yesterday’s Gospel, the Lord condemned the Pharisees for seeking to sit upon the chair of moses—the exalted position of power and authority. “Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, but whoever humbles himself will be exalted”.
Today, the mother the Apostles, James and John comes seeking an exalted position for her sons in Jesus’ kingdom.
She wants greatness for her sons, as any mother would. So there is something commendable in her words, she wants the best of her children, and she has come to believe that Jesus was destined to be king. Yet, that belief is a misunderstanding of what the Messiah’s kingship means and entails.
James and John seemed pretty ready to grasp at it the worldly greatness, perhaps dreaming of endless wealth, celebrity recognition, political power, and command of military might.
Jesus, however, defines “greatness” very differently. Greatness comes from giving, and service, and sacrifice. Whoever wishes to be great must become a slave, he says. Greatness comes not in possessing the esteem of men, but in serving others with one’s entire life.
It is good to strive for greatness. But, again, whose version of greatness do you strive for, the world’s or Christ’s? The royal road to Christian greatness is the cross. The Christian should strive for great sanctity through great self-sacrifice. The greatness of the saints is found in their ability to die to their own ambitions, and to pour themselves out abundantly in service to the kingdom of God.
Jesus promises that James and John would drink of the same cup he would drink—the cup of torture and death for the salvation of souls. James was the first of the Twelve to drink the cup of Christ when he was beheaded in Jerusalem by Herod Agrippa about ten years after the Lord’s death. And although John was the only apostle to die a natural death, this was not before experiencing great hardship and exile. One could say John lived a martyr’s life even if he never died a martyr’s death.
This morning, Bishop Malesic offered a simple reflection. His excellency wrote, “Jesus said to James and John that following him is not easy. It has a cost. Jesus asks them: “Can you drink the chalice that I am going to drink?” The chalice that Jesus is referring to is the cup of rejection and suffering.
Sometimes, doing the right thing is difficult. Just ask Jeremiah the prophet in our first reading. He was thrown into a pit because he spoke the truth to people who did not want to hear it.
To follow Jesus will always entail a bit of pain, sometimes even a great amount of it. Can we drink of that chalice? Can we afford not to?”
Through our Lenten observances, may those attitudes of entitlement and self-preoccupation be conquered within us, and may we drink the chalice of self-sacrifice, service, and love for the glory of God and salvation of souls.
For profound renewal for the entire church during this Lenten season.
That parents will help their children seek the priorities of the Christian Gospel over all else, and for an increase in vocations to the priesthood and consecrated religious life.
For the protection of the unborn and respect for all human life.
For generous giving for the needs of the poor, the hungry, the homeless, those who are sick, especially for victims of the coronavirus and serious seasonal illness, for the unemployed, victims of natural disaster, terrorism, war, violence, and human trafficking, and for those most in need.
For our beloved dead and all the poor souls in purgatory.
Mercifully hear, O Lord, the prayers of your Church and turn with compassion to the hearts that bow before you, that those you make sharers in your divine mystery may always benefit from your assistance.
