Mark
10:32-45
The disciples were on the way, going up to Jerusalem, and Jesus went ahead of them. They were amazed, and those who followed were afraid. Taking the Twelve aside again, he began to tell them what was going to happen to him. “Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be handed over to the chief priests and the scribes, and they will condemn him to death and hand him over to the Gentiles who will mock him, spit upon him, scourge him, and put him to death, but after three days he will rise.” Then 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 chalice 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 chalice 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.”
Food for thought!
These words of Jesus are very revealing of him; they show a Jesus that's focused on something, his death. In light of his death, Jesus is going to Jerusalem, knowing that he going to die. The gospel reading says that he took his disciples aside and started to talk to them about his death. Yes, today's food for thought is about death, your death, my death.
When did you last take your dear ones aside and talked about your death? Not yet? Do you even ever think of your death? Do you ever talk about it as Jesus did many times? Do you share with anybody about your death? Have you planned for it? How would you like to be buried? Where? Do you have a will, a testament? This is the best way to plan for and think of and share your death. Don't be afraid. Like Jesus, take your friends aside and talk to them about your death.
Talking about your death will help you to be focused like Jesus. Jesus was a man whose face was set on some goal. He was a man whose mind was made up. He was a man who was determined to go somewhere and who refused to be distracted from his mission. Jesus was a focused man, whose mind was fixed on some mission and who was determined to carry it out. Jesus was ready to pay the price, in order to get the prize.
This is what Jesus is asking the two disciple: "Can you drink the cup I am going to drink?" Jesus is telling John and James that what you are aspiring for has a price tag; are you ready to pay the price, or you want the prize but not the price? This is a lesson for all of us: whatever we want to achieve in life, whatever we focus on, like having good life, good family, great business, good job, good spouse, has a price tag. You can't have a prize without a price.
James and John paid the price too. As you know, James was the first apostle to die martyrdom and his brother John was the last apostle to die, in exile. In other words, the two got what they wanted: be one on the left and the other on the right of Jesus; one died first, the other last! Next time you kneel down to ask Jesus for something think twice; think not only of what you ask for, but also think of what you will pay to get it.
The disciples were on the way, going up to Jerusalem, and Jesus went ahead of them. They were amazed, and those who followed were afraid. Taking the Twelve aside again, he began to tell them what was going to happen to him. “Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be handed over to the chief priests and the scribes, and they will condemn him to death and hand him over to the Gentiles who will mock him, spit upon him, scourge him, and put him to death, but after three days he will rise.” Then 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 chalice 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 chalice 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.”
Food for thought!
These words of Jesus are very revealing of him; they show a Jesus that's focused on something, his death. In light of his death, Jesus is going to Jerusalem, knowing that he going to die. The gospel reading says that he took his disciples aside and started to talk to them about his death. Yes, today's food for thought is about death, your death, my death.
When did you last take your dear ones aside and talked about your death? Not yet? Do you even ever think of your death? Do you ever talk about it as Jesus did many times? Do you share with anybody about your death? Have you planned for it? How would you like to be buried? Where? Do you have a will, a testament? This is the best way to plan for and think of and share your death. Don't be afraid. Like Jesus, take your friends aside and talk to them about your death.
Talking about your death will help you to be focused like Jesus. Jesus was a man whose face was set on some goal. He was a man whose mind was made up. He was a man who was determined to go somewhere and who refused to be distracted from his mission. Jesus was a focused man, whose mind was fixed on some mission and who was determined to carry it out. Jesus was ready to pay the price, in order to get the prize.
This is what Jesus is asking the two disciple: "Can you drink the cup I am going to drink?" Jesus is telling John and James that what you are aspiring for has a price tag; are you ready to pay the price, or you want the prize but not the price? This is a lesson for all of us: whatever we want to achieve in life, whatever we focus on, like having good life, good family, great business, good job, good spouse, has a price tag. You can't have a prize without a price.
James and John paid the price too. As you know, James was the first apostle to die martyrdom and his brother John was the last apostle to die, in exile. In other words, the two got what they wanted: be one on the left and the other on the right of Jesus; one died first, the other last! Next time you kneel down to ask Jesus for something think twice; think not only of what you ask for, but also think of what you will pay to get it.
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