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Gospel: Mark 10:35-45
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.”
The Gospel of the Lord.
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A recent poll suggests that only 20% of Americans trust the government to do the right thing, regardless of which political party holds the majority.
Part of this lack of trust, they say, is driven by a commonly held belief that some politicians seek political office – not for the common good – but for their own benefit.
Whether or not that’s true, surveys like this beg the question: What does it mean to be of service? What are our expectations of those in power?
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In today’s Gospel, the disciples are caught acting like “politicians” in the negative sense of the word.
James and John, in particular, are cozying up to Jesus, seeking to solidify their role in his kingdom. “Teacher, grant that we may sit, one at your right and the other at your left.”
It’s not surprising that they’re ambitious.
They’ve seen Jesus do incredible things like healing the sick and raising the dead. They’re also part of his inner circle, so they want to solidify their positions in the kingdom he’s building.
But they don’t understand what type of kingdom this will be.
“The greatest among you will be you will be your servant,” Jesus says. Thus, the poor, the humble, and the lowly will be the ones with the highest positions.
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What makes this conversation between Jesus and his disciples so troubling is the fact that Jesus has just predicted his own death for the third time, but the disciples still don’t get it; their hearts are too clouded with ambition.
They’re like crooked politicians seeking to satisfy their own interests.
I can only imagine how lonely this must’ve made Jesus feel.
He’s days away from leaving this world and these are meant to be his successors: a group of ordinary, self-interested, loosely affiliated men who, at times, don’t even appear to be friends.
How they finally come together to change the world is nothing short of miraculous.
Still, Jesus is patient with them, asking, “Can you drink the cup that I will drink?”
“Of course, we can!” they say ignorantly.
To “drink the cup” of a king meant to share in his fortune. Thus, James and John think they’ll share in Christ’s power. But to drink Christ’s “cup” means being willing to serve and to suffer with him.
Unbeknownst to James and John, they will drink this cup of service and suffering to the dregs.
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What changed their hearts? How were they transformed from self-interested followers into servants?
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They witnessed the resurrection.
Seeing Jesus alive again changed their lives, setting their hearts on fire for the Gospel. Now they understood Christ’s message of love and service.
In fact, fourteen years after today’s Gospel passage unfolded, the Apostle James, who asked to be seated at Christ’s right hand, laid down his own life in Jerusalem.
And he did so freely, knowing that he would pick it up again like Jesus.
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So, in what ways do we “drink the cup” of Christ? How are we of service to others? Or how do we suffer patiently with the Lord?
I’ll share a few examples I’ve witnessed first-hand in ministry.
The person whose cancer is no longer curable, but perseveres in faith… drinks the cup of Christ.
The married couple who seeks counseling to preserve their bond…drinks the cup of Christ.
The young person who wakes up early and comes to Mass, even when they don’t want to…drinks the cup of Christ.
The recovering alcoholic who fights to stay sober another day…drinks the cup of Christ.
The volunteers who stand in the narthex to greet before Mass, those who clean the linens after Mass, and those who’ve so generously planned our welcome luncheon later today…. drink the cup of Christ.
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While there may be a lack of trust in the motives of some politicians, the standard for judging Christians is clear: “the greatest among you must be your servant.”
If you look around this parish, then you’ll see many who are great examples in God’s eyes.
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Image credits: (1) Godsongs.net (2) Joseph Von Fuhrich (3) Doubting Thomas, Caravaggio (4) K Love, Pinterest