Monday after Quinquagesima Sunday (Esto mihi)
Posted on February 15, 2021 by under
Scripture: St. Mark 10:35-45 (NKJV)
10:35 Then James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came to Him, saying, “Teacher, we want You to do for us whatever we ask.”
36 And He said to them, “What do you want Me to do for you?”
37 They said to Him, “Grant us that we may sit, one on Your right hand and the other on Your left, in Your glory.”
38 But Jesus said to them, “You do not know what you ask. Are you able to drink the cup that I drink, and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with?”
39 They said to Him, “We are able.”
So Jesus said to them, “You will indeed drink the cup that I drink, and with the baptism I am baptized with you will be baptized; 40 but to sit on My right hand and on My left is not Mine to give, but it is for those for whom it is prepared.”
41 And when the ten heard it, they began to be greatly displeased with James and John. 42 But Jesus called them to Himself and said to them, “You know that those who are considered rulers over the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them. 43 Yet it shall not be so among you; but whoever desires to become great among you shall be your servant. 44 And whoever of you desires to be first shall be slave of all. 45 For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.”
Devotion
The Gospel according to Saint Matthew (20:20-28) records this exchange taking place with Salome, the mother of the two disciples, pressing the Lord for the presentation of this great prestige upon her sons. Usually the disciples expected too little from Jesus, showing themselves as men of little faith. Here is a woman that seems to expect too much from Jesus. It appears that Salome and her sons, possibly to a lesser degree than she, regard Jesus like one of royal personage who is about to step out of the obscurity in which He has thus far lived and is to ascend His glorious throne. They seek glory from Him with inappropriate assumptions.
This demonstrates a faith in Jesus being the promised Messiah, but, as is common for humanity, this faith is misdirected by human reason and logic. Their request comes from a desire to be in the Lord’s kingdom, but it is an imperfect faith that does not fully understand the things which it seeks. How often our requests of God must be met with a similar response of correction due to our horrible ignorance regarding spiritual and eternal things. This reality is driven home by Jesus’ comparison of the earthly world and its order versus the kingdom of God. We must understand glory and service according to His holy cross, otherwise we ask for the wrong things.
Prayer: O Lord, we beseech Thee, mercifully hear our prayers and, having set us free from the bonds of sin, defend us from all evil; through Jesus Christ, Thy Son, our Lord. Amen.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
