May 27, 2015
Wednesday,
8th Week in Ordinary Time
First Reading:
Sirach 36:1-2,5-6,13-22
Gospel: Mark 10:32-45
Jesus and his disciples were on the road going up to Jerusalem, and Jesus was walking ahead. The Twelve were anxious and those who followed were afraid. (…)
James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came to Jesus and said to him, “Master, we want you to grant us what we are going to ask of you.” And he said, “What do you want me to do for you?” They answered, “Grant us to sit one at your right and one at your left when you come in your glory.”
But Jesus said to them, “You don’t know what you are asking. Can you drink the cup that I drink or be baptized in the way I am baptized?” They answered, “We can.” And Jesus told them, “The cup that I drink you will drink, and you will be baptized in the way I am baptized. But to sit at my right or at my left is not mine to grant. It has been prepared for others.”
On hearing this, the other ten were angry with James and John; Jesus then called them to him and said, “As you know, the so-called rulers of the nations act as tyrants and their great ones oppress them. But it shall not be so among you; whoever would be great among you must be your servant, and whoever would be first among you shall make himself slave of all. Think of the Son of Man who has not come to be served but to serve and to give his life to redeem many.”
D@iGITAL-EXPERIENCE
(Daily Gospel in
the Assimilated
Life Experience)
Jesus showed to Peter, James and John his divinity shining through his humanity when he was transfigured at Mt. Tabor (Mk. 9:2). These three were also the same disciples Jesus chose to keep him company at the garden of Gethsemane (Mk. 14:33). Being his frequent companions, they should have known Jesus’ dislike for self promotion and power play.
Surprisingly, two of them shamelessly asked for reserved positions in heaven. They were eyeing the day when Jesus would sit in his throne as judge of humanity. They wanted to make sure they wouldn’t be lining up among those to be judged. They wanted to share Jesus’ power of judging.
Jesus’ reaction was diplomatic. He asked them if they could bear the consequence of drinking from the same cup of suffering he was to drink (Mk. 14:23). “Yes we can”, they quickly replied. This quick response mirrors the intensity of their quest for power. They could have said yes to anything, anyway! It was like saying, “we will cross that bridge when we get there, just grant us the power now”.
This Gospel episode tells us that being close to Jesus is not a guarantee that a disciple has internalized Jesus’ teachings. – Rev. Fr. Dan Domingo P. delos Angeles, Jr., DM., MAPM. ([email protected]. Website: www.frdan.org).
May comment ka ba sa column ni Father Dan? May tanong ka ba sa kanya? I-type ang BANDERA REACT
Disclaimer: The comments uploaded on this site do not necessarily represent or reflect the views of management and owner of Bandera. We reserve the right to exclude comments that we deem to be inconsistent with our editorial standards.