Live fully, that we may see His glory

29th Sunday in Ordinary Time Year B

Gospel Mk 10:35-45 or 10:42-45

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 cup 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 cup 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."

To live fully, that we may see His glory

Jesus in the First Reading from the Prophet Isaiah is prefigured as the Suffering Servant who will suffer and eventually die for others so they may live. It is by accepting the cup of salvation that He will endure for our sakes.  His is not needless suffering, yet a valuable purpose that He alone could carry out.

What is this “cup?”  In Scripture is has a specific metaphorical meaning: a lot that the Lord imposed on people or nations. A lot could be a blessing or a curse.  When we speak of God’s cup of anger, it refers to the extreme suffering that awaits the wrongdoer or the wicked who will be required to drink the cup of God’s wrath. On the cup as a blessing, one who is faithful whose lot is the Lord will receive the cup of blessing, not a curse. In the Gospel, the cup which Jesus refers to is His willingness to accept the burden of our redemption which we will all share.

Jesus does not want to suffer needlessly. Though our suffering if necessary and has a purpose and through His suffering, we His descendants will receive a long life, the Lord’s will is accomplished, and many are justified.

The Second Reading exhibits concretely the act of Jesus drinking the cup of suffering: He became our High Priest by sacrificing Himself.  Though not mentioned in today’s passage, the Letter to the Hebrews explains that Our Lord, in sacrificing Himself, is consecrated a priest. E-priest.  On our behalf, a priest mediates between God and others. A priest, therefore in imitation of Christ, also offer sacrifices for others, the most sublime sacrifice.  In the purest of intentions and the quality of life that a sharer of Christ’s priesthood should emulate, the vocation to the priesthood is total self-giving, readiness to be sent on a mission, a brother to all, a spiritual father, and someone who can embrace with love and joy the trials, struggles, and challenges of daily life relying on the grace of God.  When I raise the cup during the consecration at Mass, it’s a renewal of my priestly vows; to ask for the grace to persevere, to be humble, to be courageous, and to strive to be holy, though a sinner.  Suffering and trials are the path to glory for a disciple of Christ, but not senselessly: through suffering and trials we too serve others and give our lives for them to be “ransomed” from sin. E-priest.

James and John are seeking glory in the Gospel.  Their motive is to become popular, to be known, to gain prestige, to be acclaimed as favored by the Lord, however they don’t understand the reason why Jesus chooses to be the servant of all and the path that they must follow. Jesus does not give up on them, rather He tells them to persevere in the faith and to heed His terms as to what that glory consists of and how to get there.  The earthly glories are temporary pleasures and fleeting happiness, and they are nothing in comparison to what awaits us in eternity.  Roman 8:18:  Our present suffering will not compare with the glory to be revealed in us.

Thus, James and John think they know exactly what they want, but their ignorance and dull vision of glory overshadowed the true glory that awaits them. Jesus speaks of a cup to drink and a baptism to receive both refer to His passion. We have an advantage over James and John.  Why, because we have witnessed the path to glory that Our Lord has traced out for us. Let this glory also benefit others; a glory only won through our suffering and trials for the sake of others in imitation of Christ.

God’s glory stands for:

G- godliness- is not a mere display of pious acts, praying publicly so others might see, being nice or friendly, but the quality of virtue that one may possess where his conduct of life complements and is paired with his or her faithfulness to the Gospel and obedience to the Commandments of God most especially of charity. 

L – love- is when one becomes a servant to all, a mark of true greatness as shown by Jesus who came not to be served but to serve with love, compassion, justice, and mercy.  Jesus' selfless and sacrificing love should always be the spirit that animates the whole community and makes each member move in loving service. 1Peter 1:22 – “See how they love one another.”

O – obedience is to conform one’s will to God’s will.  Not my will be done, but God’s will be done. To keep God’s commandment is our wisdom and life.  John 14:15: If you love me, you will keep my commandments.  For this, we will be judged on how we obeyed God.

R – reach out to others – many call themselves Christians, but sometimes nothing could be farther from the truth.  Soon these communities want to outdo each other, competing with one another over self-importance, prestige, and ranks. Who are we really without the titles attached to our names?  Above all, as baptized we can only claim we are adopted sons and daughters of God – heirs of the Kingdom which is not our own.  Reaching out to others is sharing God’s work.  If not us, who will show God’s glory and promise of eternal life?

Y – yield to God – John 15:5 “I am the vine; you are the branches.  He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing. St. Irenaeus exclaimed:  the glory of God is man fully alive.  If we abide in Christ, we will gain the grace of holiness, be able to live according to God’s design and bear many fruits.  Separate ourselves from Him, we will easily be drawn to sin and die.  

As we continue with the Mass this Sunday, we thank Jesus, our Lord, and Savior for constantly reminding us of who we are and our true purpose which is to serve and not to be served even offering our lives for the sake of others.  Grant us Lord to follow your divine will and become what you want us to be and always be.