St. Katharine Drexel virgin 

＊＊＊ 1st Reading ＊＊＊

Jeremiah 18:18-20

Then, they said, “Come, let us plot against Jeremiah,

For even without him, there will be priests to interpret the Teachings of the Law; there will always be wisemen to impart counsel and prophets to proclaim the word.  

Come, let us accuse him and strike him down instead of listening to what he says.” Hear me, O Yahweh! Listen to what my accusers say.

 Is evil the reward for good? Why do they dig a grave for me? Remember how I stood before you to speak well on their behalf so that your anger might subside.

 

Ps 31:5-6, 14, 15-16

Save me, O Lord, in your kindness.

 

＊＊＊＊ Gospel ＊＊＊＊

Matthew 20:17-28

 When Jesus was going to Jerusalem, he took the Twelve aside and said to them on the way, “See, we are going to Jerusalem. There the Son of Man will be given over to the chief priests and the teachers of the Law who will condemn him to death. 

They will hand him over to the foreigners who will mock him, scourge him and crucify him. But he will be raised to life on the third day.”  Then the mother of James and John came to Jesus with her sons, and she knelt down to ask a favor. Jesus said to her, “What do you want?”

And she answered, “Here you have my two sons. Grant that they may sit, one at your right and one at your left, when you are in your kingdom.”  Jesus said to the brothers, “You do not know what you are asking.

Can you drink the cup that I am about to drink?” They answered, “We can.” Jesus replied, “You will indeed drink my cup, but to sit at my right or at my left is not for me to grant. That will be for those for whom the Father has prepared it.”  The other ten heard all this and were angry with the two brothers. 

Then Jesus called them to him and said, “You know that the rulers of the nations act as tyrants, and the powerful oppress them. It shall not be so among you; whoever wants to be more important in your group shall make himself your servant. And if you want to be first, make yourself the servant of all.  Be like the Son of Man who has come, not to be served but to serve and to give his life to redeem many.”

 

Gospel Reflection：

Jesus should have been disappointed at the bunch of people who gathered around Him and called Him Master. While He was talking about His impending Passion, Death and Resurrection, they are preoccupied with the idea of poser and authority.

Everybody is jockeying for position without regard to His apprehensions of the future to come. Brushing aside His own concerns, Jesus has to once again school them into the true meaning of greatness.

Instead of focusing on His own coming trials, He has to teach His disciples to the very end. This is dedication beyond the call of duty. True leaders sacrifice their own preoccupation to a address the concerns of His  followers. That is why Jesus is rewarded with disciples who followed Him till the very end.