Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Matthew 20, 20-28
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.”
James the Apostle, pray for us
1) James, son of Zebedee, brother of St. John the Apostle. He was the first of the apostles to drink the cup of the Lord, participating in His passion, when he was beheaded by order of King Herod. That way he announced the kingdom that comes through the death and resurrection of Christ. His remains are in Galicia, and he is the patron saint of the people of Spain. Today, let’s ask St. James that we may learn to go out on mission and not remain closed in on ourselves.
2) Power. The power of a Christian is service, our Christian life is marked by selfless service to our brothers and sisters. Let us not fall into the trap of seeking positions within the Church. The priest should work to serve and not desire to become a bishop; laypersons should work to serve and not wish to be the president of the parish group or the person in charge of the chapel. Work and serve.
3) To drink the chalice. Christians should also accept the cross, knowing that we do not have it easy in this world and that everything will always be hard for us. We should be aware that humiliation is part of our life because this world does not understand the language of the Gospel, but this cannot silence us. The path of a Christian in this world is to love passionately. Be an apostle serving and loving.
God bless you in the name of The Father, and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Always remember that Heaven is our goal!
