8 March 2023
Wednesday of the Second Week of Lent
In today’s gospels, ten of Jesus’ disciples express their indignation after the mother of the sons of Zebedee asks the Lord that they might have a privileged place in his kingdom. Is the source of their indignation due to the fact that the sons of Zebedee have a complete misconception of what the Kingdom of God actually is or is it due to the fact that the two (through their mother) actually had the nerve to ask for something they themselves would have liked? The passage doesn’t say.
If it’s the former, then it’s not a cause for indignation, but an excellent teaching opportunity for the sons of Zebedee that they could actively and charitably partake in. If it’s the latter, then it’s an excellent learning opportunity for everyone involved. The kingdom of God is not about privilege and getting ahead, even when we get our family to plead our case. Jesus capitalizes on the opportunity and reminds them of this. For as tempting as privilege, status, and getting ahead may be, the kingdom of God is not this way. Greatness comes from forgetting one’s own interests and giving one’s life in service to others.
What acts of service, great or small, can I engage in today?