Daily Gospel Reflection
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July 25, 2022
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.”
“Can you drink the chalice that I am going to drink?” They said to him, “We can.”
Before this question, Jesus had foretold that he would be betrayed, condemned to death, mocked, scourged, and crucified. Despite hearing this and knowing all that would be done, James and his brother John are willing to answer the call to undergo a life of suffering and persecution.
James, whom we remember today, is very ambitious. He sought to possess life everlasting and to sit at the right of Jesus in his kingdom. Do we share his ambition and his glorious passion?
“My chalice you will indeed drink….” Jesus foretells James’ martyrdom. In the previous chapter to today’s gospel, Jesus alludes to Jame’s place of honor, “…you, who have followed me in the regeneration when the Son of man shall sit on the seat of his majesty, you also shall sit on twelve seats judging the twelve tribes of Israel.”
What would be foretold for us? Most importantly, Jesus reminds the apostles that those who will be first and great among them are those who will serve and give their lives to others.
During a recent sermon, the priest at my parish prompted us to ask ourselves, “Where are we going?” That question has stayed in my mind. I suppose we must also ask ourselves where we want to go, whether our actions reflect this, and whether we have the ambition, like James, to stay on course.
By the intercession of Saint James, let us pray to share his ambition, passion, and eventual humility so that we may reach God’s kingdom.
Prayer
Father, by the example of your son, you taught us that true greatness lies not in power, but rather in service. Grant that we may be free of our desire to be powerful, to control others, and to be raised up in status; grant, instead, that we may be filled with a desire to grow in humility and to serve those in need and those who have been entrusted to our care. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen.