Reflection for May 26 Wednesday Memorial of Saint Philip Neri, Priest: Mark 10:32-45

Gospel: 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.”

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Reflection:

What ensures lasting marriage? It’s the willingness to sacrifice, the willingness to bear pain and suffering and the willingness to swallow our own pride and ego. After we have endured these trials lasting marriage would be at hand.  

The two disciples namely James and John wanted to sit beside Jesus in His glory. It seems that both of them do not want to pass through what Jesus is about to go through. Both of them wanted the easy path towards glorification.  

But the easy path is not the way of Jesus for the way of Jesus is the way of the cross. The way of humility, suffering and humiliation without it there would be no triumph over evil. Without it there would be no glorious resurrection and ascension into heaven.  

The same is true if we want to become true followers of our Lord. We also have to go through the way of Jesus before we could be bestowed by glory that Jesus alone can bestow upon us.  

Stay the course therefore because there will be reward someday no matter how filled with trials our journey with the Lord might be. – Marino J. Dasmarinas