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Manila Bulletin devider Opinion devider 'You do not know what you are asking'

'You do not know what you are asking'

Published Feb 27, 2024 04:08 pm

REFLECTIONS TODAY

Gird your loins

This is the response of Jesus to the mother of James and John, the sons of Zebedee, when she asks a favor on their behalf. 


Jesus has just predicted for the third time what will happen to him in Jerusalem. What registers in her mind is his happy ending. 


As a mother, she seeks the best for her sons. Jesus reminds her immediately of his passion which he will first undergo. 


Certainly, her sons cannot undergo the same. Besides, the right to choose who’s who is reserved to the Father in heaven. 


To follow Jesus, one must be the servant of all and be willing to die for them. 


To attain greatness, one must be willing to sacrifice himself/herself to lift up the spirits of others.
 

Gospel • Matthew 20:17-28 

As Jesus was going up to Jerusalem, he took the Twelve disciples aside by themselves, and said to them on the way, “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 to be mocked and scourged and crucified, and he will be raised on the third day.” 


Then 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.”

Source: “366 Days with the Lord 2024.” E-mail: [email protected]; Website: http://www.stpauls.ph.

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