November 20, 2022
Gospel – 7/25/20 – Matthew 20:20-18
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.”
So many people think they have a right of leadership, an expectation of respect. They see themselves through a different spectrum than those who view them.
John and James, the sons of Zebedee, were virile young men. They had passion. They wanted to be seen as great among their brother Apostles.
Jesus saw this but he had chosen each Apostle to be great at something.
So, he asks if they are going to be there with him during the very difficult times. They assured him they would. But they ran at the Garden.
Jesus knows what will happen. He also knows only God can be the one who will be their courage, their strength, their image in the world. They would need to earn their spot. No one is gifted greatness – it will be earned.
At least that’s what I heard Him say…
What I Heard Him Say 