Jesus said to them, “You will drink my cup, but to sit at my right hand and at my left is not mine to grant,

but it is for those for whom it has been prepared by my Father.”

Here is Jesus achingly confiding in his beloved ones the heart breaking reality of his impending death.

In today's gospel neither the disciples nor the mother of the sons of thunder show empathy towards Jesus,

they do not have a word of consolation for him.

 

＊＊＊ 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 wise men 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 disciples aside and said to them, "See, we are going to Jerusalem. There, the Son of Man will be betrayed to the chief priests and the teachers of the law; and they 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 hand and one at your left, 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 my 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 nations behave like tyrants, and the powerful oppress them. It shall not be so among you: whoever wants to be great in your community, let him minister to the community. And if you want to be the first of all, make yourself the servant of all. Be like the Son of Man, who came not to be served, but to serve, and to give his life to redeem many."

 

Gospel Reflection ：

"To imitate Jesus."

Jesus invites us to follow his example: "Be like the Son of Man, who came not to be served, but to serve..." (Mt. 20:28) Today's Gospel narrates Jesus telling his twelve disciples of his sufferings, death and resurrection. They were heading to Jerusalem where Jesus would be betrayed and be killed, and on the third day he would be raised to life.

 

The mother of James and John came to him to ask him to position her two sons – one at Jesus' right hand and one at his left. Jesus has just begun telling them that he will offer himself as a ransom for many and they have missed his point. Self-securing intention right away blinds us to understand his message. Jesus is always showing us an example to follow so that we may serve one another. Yet, many times we do not follow his message but instead our impulse is to secure the self. Lent is a season to let go of our ego and to die to ourselves in order to serve and give life to others.