James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came to Jesus and said to him, "Teacher, we want you to do for us whatever we ask of you."
He replied, "What do you wish me to do for you?"
They answered him, "Grant that in your glory we may sit one at your right and the other at your left."
Jesus said to them, "You do not know what you are asking.
Can you drink the cup that I drink or be baptized with the baptism with which I am baptized?"
They said to him, "We can."
Jesus said to them, "The cup that I drink, you will drink, and with the baptism with which I am baptized, you will be baptized; but to sit at my right or at my left is not mine to give but is for those for whom it has been prepared."
When the ten heard this, they became indignant at James and John.
Jesus summoned them and said to them, "You know that those who are recognized as rulers over the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones make their authority over them felt.
But it shall not be so among you.
Rather, whoever wishes to be great among you will be your servant; whoever wishes to be first among you will be the slave of all.
For the Son of Man did not come to be served but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many."
REFLECTION
"What do you wish me to do for you?"
They answered him, "Grant that in your glory we may sit one at your right and the other at your left."
I have to hand it to Saints James and John, they did have a way to ask for a promotion. In Matthew 20:20 we read that it was their mother, Salome, the one asking Jesus to have them sit at His right and left. Still, makes me wonder if they understood what they were asking for. Did they think they were going to obtain human glory? Like generals or commanders of a great army? Or ancient day influencers?
Many times I will see in social media outlets people claiming to be ready to "give witness", to "be ready to be sent to a gulag" and "be martyrs", or any time or similar sentences when the chatter is about Christian liberty and persecution.
Sincerely, I get chills when I read these affirmations. First, because I know I am not ready to suffer. Second, because I know I cannot rely on myself to be strong before persecution.
Saints James, John, and Salome, were relying in their human wit to "gain" a better position in Jesus' circle. When we ask God to "make us saints" do we really know what we are asking for? Do we also pray for the strength to endure what is to come? Jesus corrects them and explains what is to come of them. After this they became much closer to Jesus: Saints John and James were present with St. Peter in the cure of Jairus' daughter, in the Transfiguration, and the agony in the garden. St. James was the first to be put to death by the sword, and St. John was the last disciple to die due to old age. Salome is referred to as one of the "three Marys" that followed Jesus (Matthew 27:55-56). They were present in the crucifixion (Mark 15:40), and carried the spices to the tomb to anoint Jesus after the Sabbath (Mark 16:11)
Many years ago, my then spiritual director told to me not to ask for heroic deeds, but to ask God to "take me by the hand like a little child, and guide me to where He needs me to be/do." To find holiness in the ordinary.
We really need to ask ourselves why do we pray to God? Why do we go to Church? Why do we volunteer or do any other "good deeds"? Who do we love when we do this? Are we truly doing God's will? Or do we do it because "it feels nice"?
Let's pray to the Holy Spirit to guide us to God's will for us, and not be self-serving in our words and deeds.
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