“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.”
Reflect
They say we should live one day at a time, but sometimes it feels like several days’
worth of trouble attack all at once. But today’s first reading reminds us that we do not
face life’s difficulties and challenges on our own. In Baptism, we become part of the
Body of Christ. His Holy Spirit dwells in us. So no matter how difficult things seem
and how inadequate we feel, God is with us to give us his strength and grace that
we need to go on.
It is easy to believe in ourselves and to believe that everything we have and are is the
result of our own efforts – that we have accomplished everything on our own. But we are
earthen vessels, made of humble material and easily broken. Yet God loved us enough,
even in all our limitations, to send his Son to us to give us life eternal.
© Copyright Bible Diary 2023