OUT OF SERVICE

OUT OF SERVICE?

 

“Can you drink the cup that I drink or be baptized with the baptism with which I am baptized?” – Mark 10:38

 

Oftentimes, we are like the two disciples in today’s Gospel who seem to be walking and talking with Jesus but are actually not listening to Him at all. They want the places of honor but are not willing to pay the price.

During prayer meetings, we sing that we want to give Him our hearts and souls but when the love offering basket is passed around, we can’t even give the Lord more than our smallest bill. We only want to give our heart and soul but not our money. Or, maybe while we are deeply worshiping and praying, we tell the Lord to have His way with us. We pray, “Speak Lord, Your servant is listening.” The Lord responds by whispering to our heart to give up a relationship that is not pleasing to Him. Suddenly, our heart becomes “deaf.”

When we enter into a relationship with God, we cannot choose what part we want to give or what part we want to take. We cannot love God without serving Him and we cannot choose how we want to serve Him. Definitely we can choose how we want to serve but that is not real love. Out of His great love for us, God gave us His very best… His only Son. Don’t you think it’s time we also give our very best to Him?Ronna Ledesma (ronnaledesma@email.com)

 

REFLECTION:

If God will call us now, will He hear, “The number you are calling is not yet in service”?

 

Lord, only by Your grace will we be able to follow You.

DEFINING GREATNESS THE WAY JESUS DOES

 

Here’s a typical mother: Mrs. Zebedee, the mother of James and John, very close friends of Jesus. She dares to ask Jesus that her two sons be made to sit beside Him in His heavenly throne. Notice the absence of any formalities or a polite tone in her request. It sounds more like a demand, not a request, and a claim rather than an appeal.

None of us have ill feelings against Mrs. Zebedee, I guess. If we do, then I suppose we should change the definition of motherhood.

My mother is my first fanatic. She believes in me even when I fail to believe in myself. I am her hero. And if she has the chance, she might also make the same request Mrs. Zebedee makes to Jesus today.

But there are only two seats beside the throne of Jesus. And Jesus cannot give those to James and John. The world is too small. It is even smaller for 12 men who may be interested in sitting on the same seats.

The other 10, however, according to Matthew (who is, by the way, one of them and therefore his word is reliable), are indignant with James and John because of their mother’s request that is complemented by their audacious claim that they can drink the cup that Jesus is going to drink. Should not Jesus be the One offended? But why the 10?

The 10 are indignant because they, too, have their eyes on those seats but only the two have the heart to claim it them for themselves. The world may praise James and John for their courage to own, express and pursue their dream, but Jesus has a different idea about it.

Jesus dreams greatness for all of them. But greatness to Him is directly contrary to that of the world’s: the higher one wants to reach, the lower he should bend. The greatest among Jesus’ disciples is the one who serves. He must also give His life for many. Only a life-giving service can make one the greatest.

We do not know if James and John sit on the left and right of Jesus in heaven today. It does not really matter for us to know, does it? If it does, then we have yet to learn defining greatness the way Jesus does.Fr. Bobby Titco

 

Reflection Question:

Does it really matter who sits on the immediate sides of Jesus? Why?

 

Son of God, You are God’s humble Servant, too. Help me to become like You. May I always find my joy in serving others as I would serve You. Correct my wrong views on greatness. Let me be great only in Your eyes. Amen.

 

Blessed Eva of Liege, pray for us.