8 March, 2023 | Wednesday of the 2nd Week of Lent | International Women's Day | Optional Memorial St John of God
Gospel Mt 17:20-28
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.”
Reflections
The mother of James and John approaches Jesus with a request. Jesus rebukes her for making such a request. Jesus teaches them about real greatness. To be great is to put one’s talents totally at the service of others, to empower instead of trying to acquire power. It means service should be the primary focus. Jesus calls each one of us to follow his example of taking the path of self-emptying service of others. We are created in love, called to life in service of others. When we serve others we discover the Lord and our call.
Activity
Today strip yourself of better dreams and hopes, those desires which make you feel great in the eyes of others, and instead aspire to walk in the footsteps of the Son of Man who came not to be served but to serve.
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