Reflection for May 29 Wednesday of the Eighth Week in Ordinary Time: 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:

Are you willing to carry the cross of Jesus? 

Jesus began to tell his disciples what was going to happen to him: his passion, death and eventual resurrection. Then, James and John requested Jesus that in his glory they be allowed to sit beside him. 

Why in his glory only they want to sit beside Jesus? Why didn’t they tell Jesus that they would be with him also through his passion and death? 

Often times we are like James and John we only recognize the presence of Jesus in our lives during our glorious moments and our life’s triumphs. When we are beset with problems we feel that Jesus has forsaken us. The Lord wants us to be aware that He is with us always, he wants us to embrace him fully regardless of our life situations. 

James and John also desired greatness because they wanted to sit beside Jesus in his glorious moments. But Jesus rebuked them when he said: “Whoever wishes to be great among you will be your servant; whoever wishes to be first among you will be the slave of all.” 

In the church there are those who always want to been seen with their Priest/Pastors because it evokes greatness, power and prestige. But for Jesus the true measure of greatness is when we are always ready to serve regardless if we're seen, regardless if we're recognized or not. 

Let us not seek recognition when following Jesus let us instead follow the Lord with humility. And from humility everything good will follow including recognition. – Marino J. Dasmarinas