Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Mark 10, 32-45

The disciples were on the way, going up to Jerusalem,
and Jesus went ahead of them.
They were amazed, and those who followed were afraid.
Taking the Twelve aside again, he began to tell them
what was going to happen to him.
“Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man
will be handed over to the chief priests and the scribes,
and they will condemn him to death
and hand him over to the Gentiles who will mock him,
spit upon him, scourge him, and put him to death,
but after three days he will rise.”

Then 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 chalice 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 chalice 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.”

Don’t let power control you

1. Fear. Before going to Jerusalem, those who follow Jesus are afraid. This also happens in our life. We are afraid when we have to make crucial decisions, but Jesus is always with us to help us and give us the strength we need. Trust him and don’t let fear get the better of you on your way to making decisions, on your path to your Jerusalem.

2. Begging for favors. There are times when we fall into being beggars with Jesus, by asking for positions and trying to see how to take advantage of the Church to push forward our own agenda. It is good to work on focusing your heart and mind on service. The temptation of power is very strong – so strong that we can turn arrogant, and this holds true both for priests and parishioners. As soon as they appoint us to be in charge of something, we become untouchable. But remember, those who have Jesus in them are humble and they show it in their simplicity.

3. Service. This is the greatest gesture you can make. Don’t end your day without a concrete and simple gesture of simplicity or humility. Keep striving to serve and this service will lead you to sanctity.

Don’t forget that something good is on the way.  

God bless you and be with you in the name of the Father, of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.