Wednesday of the Eighth Week in Ordinary Time
Today’s gospel passage begins with Jesus telling the disciples about his coming Passion, which will occur when they get to Jerusalem. Shortly after this, he is approached by James and John, who ask him: “Grant that in your glory we may sit, one at your right and the other at your left.” This must have been incredibly frustrating for Jesus: first, because they obviously weren’t paying attention to what he was just telling them; and second, because they were trying to one-up the other disciples, a move that Jesus had been constantly discouraging. In fact, when the other disciples hear about this, they do become indignant at the pair of them.
We should note how Jesus deals with the pair. He does not become impatient with them or upbraid them for their requests. Rather, first he warns them: “You don’t know what you are asking.” This should have alerted them that Jesus is up to something. Then he asks them, “Can you drink of the chalice that I drink, or be baptized with the baptism with which I am baptized?” Showing that they really hadn’t been paying attention, they assure Jesus that they can do so. Then Jesus, having gotten them where he wants them, lowers the boom: “You will drink from the chalice that I drink from and be baptized with the baptism with which I am baptized.” This means that they will, in their own lives and sufferings, share in the passion of Christ. And as we saw yesterday, this is part of the reward for following him, because we help him to save the world.
We should take note of how he treats James and John, because he will treat us the same way in our own missteps. We all make mistakes and head in the wrong direction at times. But Jesus won’t get frustrated or angry with us. Rather, he will use these missteps to get us back to where he wants us to be, as long as we are trying to listen to him.
Reflection by Fr. Aquinas Keusenkothen, OSB
Posted in Articles for Ordinary Time, Daily Reflections