Wednesday of the Second Week of Lent
Today’s Reflection
Gospel: Mt 20: 17-28
March 8, 2023 | Wednesday
When Jesus was going to Jerusalem, he took the twelve disciples aside and said to them, “See, we are going to Jerusalem. There, the Son of Man will be betrayed to the chief priests and the teachers of the law; and they will condemn him to death. They will hand him over to the foreigners, who will mock him, scourge him and crucify him. But he will be raised to life on the third day.”
Then the mother of James and John came to Jesus with her sons, and she knelt down, to ask a favor. Jesus said to her, “What do you want?” And she answered, “Here, you have my two sons. Grant, that they may sit, one at your right hand and one at your left, in your
kingdom.”
Jesus said to the brothers, “You do not know what you are asking. Can you drink the cup that I am about to drink?” They answered, “We can.” Jesus replied, “You will indeed drink my cup; but to sit at my right or at my left is not for me to grant. That will be for those, for
whom my Father has prepared it.”
The other ten heard all this, and were angry with the two brothers. Then Jesus called them to him and said, “You know, that the rulers of nations behave like tyrants, and the powerful oppress them. It shall not be so among you: whoever wants to be great in your community, let him minister to the community. And if you want to be the first of all, make yourself the servant of all. Be like the Son of Man, who came not to be served, but to serve, and to give his life to redeem many.”
Today’s Reflection:
In today’s gospel, we see the passion being announced to the disciples who did not understand its true meaning. James and John aspired to be seated in the most important positions bringing about discord and jealousy among the disciples, but Jesus teaches what true greatness is in the service that a follower does for his brothers. This kind of service can be practiced by following the model of the Suffering Servant which unites and bestows peace with his pierced side, the kind of service “who came not to be served, but to serve, and to give his life to redeem many.” /Vulnerasti, 2023
