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.”
The Way of St. James
1. Approached. Some people approach God only to ask for something or for a personal matter, not as a result of prayer, but on a whim. In life, one can contribute to the life of others out of service or out of interest, or a little of both. That’s why it’s important to examine your motivations and be clear about why you act. When you do things pursuing material gain or status, it can lead you to exhaustion and disappointment, as the desire for power can become addictive and unfulfilling. That’s why you should focus on what truly interests and fulfills you, on what you’re passionate about and makes you happy instead of seeking external validation.
2. They became indignant. Jealousy and competition are common in our daily life. The other ten apostles resented the Zebedee brothers not for their request, but for acting first. Even today, more than 2000 years later, similar rivalry persists: priests undermine one another for higher positions, thy want to become bishops, for example; lay people working within the church destroy others because they want to be recognized and some church members view newcomers as threats rather than people who can committedly contribute and so they don’t welcome them into the church. This continues to exist and to be experienced today.
3. Santiago de Compostela. Last year I was able to walk the Way of St. James by the grace of God, a real gift from him. Eight days meditating and living the walk in the silence of the landscapes. With Jesus in my heart, positions or duties became secondary to the mission of living out and sharing my faith. I realised that carrying unnecessary burdens in life’s backpack makes life harder. I understood that everyone goes at their own pace and that if you want to follow their pace you might fall and even hurt yourself. I became aware that everything has an end in life and that unexpected people can offer help. Ultimately, embracing my mission became more important than roles or titles.
Remember that something good is on the way!
God bless you and guard you in the name of the Father, of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.
