Reflection for May 27 Wednesday of the Eighth Week of Easter: 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.”

+ + + + + + +

Reflection:

Are we real followers of the Lord?

True followers of the Lord do not seek recognition, applause, or positions of honor. Those of us who sincerely desire to serve God quietly offer ourselves in love, even when no one notices our sacrifices. We serve without hidden motives because we know that Jesus sees every act of kindness, every silent offering, and even the deepest intentions of our hearts.

When James and John asked Jesus if they could sit beside Him in His glory, the Lord gently revealed a deeper truth to them. The places of honor in His Kingdom are not reserved for those who seek greatness for themselves, but for the humble, the selfless, and those who faithfully labor in the vineyard of the Lord without seeking recognition.

In many ways, we too can sometimes desire the blessings, honor, or rewards of serving God while avoiding the humility and sacrifice that true discipleship requires. Yet the paradox of following Jesus is this: before we can lead, we must first learn to serve; before we can be exalted, we must first learn to humble ourselves; and before we can fully live for Christ, we must first die to our selfish desires.

True humility is not something we pretend to possess so that others may admire us. Genuine service flows naturally from a heart that truly loves God. When we choose to serve in the vineyard of the Lord, we must let go of pride, pretensions, and false expectations. Our service must spring from the purity of our love for Jesus and our sincere desire to glorify Him alone.

There can be no true heavenly glorification for us unless we first embrace humility, sacrifice, and selfless love in the name of Jesus. The Lord does not measure greatness by status, recognition, or power, but by the sincerity of our hearts and our willingness to serve others with love.

Let us examine our hearts before the Lord. Are we serving Jesus to be noticed by others, or are we humbly offering ourselves for His glory alone? And if Jesus were to look deeply into our hearts today, would He find in us the spirit of a true servant willing to love, sacrifice, and follow Him no matter the cost?— Marino J. Dasmarinas