Wednesday - Lent Time
1) Opening prayer
Lord
our God,
your prophets remind us
in season and out of season
of our responsibilities toward you
and toward the world of people.
When they disturb and upset us,
let it be a holy disturbance
that makes us restless, eager to do your will
and to bring justice and love around us.
We ask you this through Christ our Lord.
2) Gospel Reading - Matthew 20, 17-28
Jesus was going up to Jerusalem,
and on the road he took the Twelve aside by themselves and said to them, 'Look,
we are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of man is about to be handed over to
the chief priests and scribes. They will condemn him to death and will hand him
over to the gentiles to be mocked and scourged and crucified; and on the third
day he will be raised up again.'
Then the mother of Zebedee's sons
came with her sons to make a request of him, and bowed low; and he said to her,
'What is it you want?' She said to him, 'Promise that these two sons of mine
may sit one at your right hand and the other at your left in your kingdom.'
Jesus answered, 'You do not know what you are asking. Can you drink the cup
that I am going to drink?' They replied, 'We can.' He said to them, 'Very well;
you shall drink my cup, but as for seats at my right hand and my left, these
are not mine to grant; they belong to those to whom they have been allotted by
my Father.'
When the other ten heard this they
were indignant with the two brothers. But Jesus called them to him and said,
'You know that among the gentiles the rulers lord it over them, and great men
make their authority felt. Among you this is not to happen. No; anyone who
wants to become great among you must be your servant, and anyone who wants to
be first among you must be your slave, just as the Son of man came not to be
served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.'
3) Reflection
•
Today’s Gospel presents three points: the third announcement of the Passion (Mt
20, 17-19), the petition of the Mother of the sons of Zebedee (Mt 20, 20-23)
and the discussion of the disciples regarding the first place (Mt 20, 24-28).
•
Matthew 20, 17-19: The third announcement of the Passion. Going toward
Jerusalem, Jesus walks in front of them. He knows that he is going to be
killed. The Prophet Isaiah had already announced it (Is 50, 4-6; 53, 1-10). His
death is not the fruit of a plan established in advance, but the consequence of
the commitment taken concerning the mission received from the Father, to be at
the side of the excluded of his time. This is why Jesus speaks to the disciples
about the tortures and death that he will have to face in Jerusalem. The
disciple should follow the Master, even if he has to suffer like he. The
disciples are frightened and accompany him with fear. They do not understand
what is happening (cfr. Lk 18, 34). Suffering did not correspond to the idea
that they had of the Messiah (cfr. Mt 16, 21-23).
•
Matthew 20, 20-21: The petition of the mother to obtain the first place for
her sons. The disciples do not only not understand the importance and
significance of the message of Jesus, but they continue with their own personal
ambitions. When Jesus insists on service and the gift of oneself, they continue
to ask for the first places in the Kingdom. The mother of James and John,
taking her sons with her, gets close to Jesus . The two did not understand the
proposal of Jesus. They were concerned only about their own interests. This is
a sign that the dominating ideology of that time had profoundly penetrated in
the mentality of the disciples. In spite of the fact of having lived with Jesus
several years, they had not renewed their way of seeing things. They looked at
Jesus as always, with the same look. They wanted a reward for the fact of
following Jesus. The same tensions existed in the communities of the time of
Matthew and they still exist today in our own communities.
•
Matthew 20-22-23: Jesus’ answer. Jesus reacts firmly: ”You do not know
what you are asking for!” And he asks if they are capable of drinking the
chalice that he, Jesus, will drink and if they are ready to receive the baptism
which he will receive. It is the chalice of suffering, the baptism of blood! Jesus
wants to know if they, instead of the places of honour, accept to give their
life up to death. Both answer: “We can!” It seems to be a response not given
from within, because a few days later, they abandoned Jesus and left him alone
at the hour of suffering (Mk 14, 50). They do not have a great critical
knowledge, they do not perceive their personal reality. In what concerns the
first place, the place of honour, in the Kingdom at the side of Jesus, the one
who grants this is the Father. What he, Jesus, has to offer, is the chalice and
the baptism, suffering and the cross.
•
Matthew 20, 24-27: It should not be like that among you: Jesus speaks
once again, on the exercise of power (cfr. Mk 9, 33-35). At that time those who
held power did not give an account to people. They acted as they wished (cfr.
Mk 6, 27-28). The Roman Empire controlled the world and maintained it submitted
with the force of the arms and in this way, through tributes, taxes, succeeded
in concentrating the riches of the people in the hands of a few in Rome.
Society was characterized by the repressive and abusive exercise of power. Jesus
had an altogether different proposal. He said: “It should not be like that
among you; but the one who wants to become great among you, should become a
servant, and the one who wants to be the first one among you, will become your
slave!” He teaches against privileges and rivalry. He wants to change the
system and insists on the fact that service is the remedy against personal
ambition.
•
Matthew 20, 28: The summary of the life of Jesus. Jesus defines his
mission and his life: “I have not come to be served but to serve!” He has come
to give his own life for the salvation of many. He is the Messiah Servant,
announced by the Prophet Isaiah (cfr. Is 42, 1-9; 49, 1-6; 50, 4-9); 52, 13-53,
12). He learnt from his Mother who said: “Behold, the handmaid of the Lord!”
(Lk 1, 38). A totally new proposal for the society of that time.
4) Personal questions
•
James and John ask for a favour, Jesus promises suffering. And I, what do I ask
Jesus for in my prayer? How do I accept suffering and the pains and sorrow
which come to me in my life?
•
Jesus said: “It should not be like that among you!” Does my way of living in
community follow this advice of Jesus?
5) Concluding Prayer
Draw me out of the net they have
spread for me,
for you are my refuge;
to your hands I commit my spirit,
by you have I been redeemed. God
of truth. (Ps 31,4-5)
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