From: Mark 10:35-45

The Sons of Zebedee Make Their Request

[35] And James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came forward to Him, and said
to Him, “Teacher, we want You to do for us whatever we ask of You.” [36] And
He said to them, “What do you want Me to do for you?” [37] And they said to
Him, “Grant us to sit, one at your right hand and one at your left, in your glory.”
[38] But Jesus said to them, “You do not know what you are asking. Are you
able to drink the cup that I drink, or to be baptized with the baptism with which
I am baptized?” [39] And they said to Him, “We are able.” And 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; [40] but to sit at My right hand or at My left is
not Mine to grant, but it is for those for whom it has been prepared.” [41] And
when the ten heard it, they began to be indignant at James and John. [42] And
Jesus called them to Him and said to them, “You know that those who are sup-
posed to rule over the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great men exercise
authority over them. [43] But it shall not be so among you; but whoever would
be great among you must be your servant, [44] and whoever would be first a-
mong you must be slave of all. [45] For the Son of Man also came not to be
served but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom of many.”

*********************************************************************************************
Commentary:

35-44. We can admire the Apostles’ humility: they do not disguise their earlier
weakness and shortcomings from the first Christians. God also has wanted the
Holy Gospel to record the earlier weaknesses of those who will become the un-
shakeable pillars of the Church. The grace of God works wonders in people’s
souls: so we should never be pessimistic in the face of our own wretchedness:
“I can do all things in Him who strengthens me” (Philippians 4:13).

38. When we ask for anything in prayer, we should be ready, always, to accept
God’s will, even if it does not coincide with our own: “His Majesty knows best
what is suitable for us; it is not for us to advise Him what to give us, for He can
rightly reply that we know not what we ask” (St. Teresa, “Mansions”, II, 8).

43-45. Our Lord’s word and example encourage in us a genuine spirit of Chris-
tian service. Only the Son of God who came down from Heaven and freely sub-
mitted to humiliation (at Bethlehem, Nazareth, Calvary, and in the Sacred Host)
can ask a person to make himself last, if he wishes to be first.

The Church, right through history, continues Christ’s mission of service to man-
kind: “Experienced in human affairs, the Church, without attempting to interfere
in any way in the politics of States, ‘seeks but a solitary goal: to carry forward
the work of Christ Himself under the lead of the befriending Spirit. And Christ
entered this world to give witness to the truth, to rescue and not to sit in judg-
ment, to serve and not to be served’ (Vatican II, “Gaudium Et Spes”, 3).
Sharing the noblest aspirations of men and suffering when she sees them not
satisfied, she wishes to help them attain their full flowering, and that is why she
offers men what she possesses as her characteristic attribute: a global vision
of man and of the human race” (Paul VI, “Populorum Progressio”, 13).

Our attitude should be that of our Lord: we should seek to serve God and men
with a truly supernatural outlook, not expecting any return; we should serve even
those who do not appreciate the service we do them. This undoubtedly does not
make sense, judged by human standards. However, the Christian identified with
Christ takes “pride” precisely in serving others; by so doing he shares in Christ’s
mission and thereby attains his true dignity: “This dignity is expressed in readi-
ness to serve, in keeping with the example of Christ, who ‘came not to be served
but to serve.’ If, in the light of this attitude of Christ’s, ‘being a king’ is truly pos-
sible only by ‘being a servant’, then ‘being a servant’ also demands so much
spiritual maturity that it must really be described as ‘being a king.’ In order to be
able to serve others worthily and effectively we must be able to master ourselves,
possess the virtues that make this mastery possible” (John Paul II, “Redemptor
Hominis”, 21). Cf. note on Matthew 20:27-28.

*********************************************************************************************
Source: “The Navarre Bible: Text and Commentaries”. Biblical text from the
Revised Standard Version and New Vulgate. Commentaries by members of
the Faculty of Theology, University of Navarre, Spain.

Published by Four Courts Press, Kill Lane, Blackrock, Co. Dublin, Ireland, and
by Scepter Publishers in the United States.

Mass Readings

First reading	Isaiah 53:10-11 ©
The Lord has been pleased to crush his servant with suffering. If he offers his life in atonement, he shall see his heirs, he shall have a long life and through him what the Lord wishes will be done. His soul’s anguish over, he shall see the light and be content. By his sufferings shall my servant justify many, taking their faults on himself.

Psalm or canticle: Psalm 32:4-5,18-20,22

Second reading	Hebrews 4:14-16 ©
Since in Jesus, the Son of God, we have the supreme high priest who has gone through to the highest heaven, we must never let go of the faith that we have professed. For it is not as if we had a high priest who was incapable of feeling our weaknesses with us; but we have one who has been tempted in every way that we are, though he is without sin. Let us be confident, then, in approaching the throne of grace, that we shall have mercy from him and find grace when we are in need of help.

Second reading

Hebrews 4:14-16 ©

Since in Jesus, the Son of God, we have the supreme high priest who has gone through to the highest heaven, we must never let go of the faith that we have professed. For it is not as if we had a high priest who was incapable of feeling our weaknesses with us; but we have one who has been tempted in every way that we are, though he is without sin. Let us be confident, then, in approaching the throne of grace, that we shall have mercy from him and find grace when we are in need of help.

Gospel	Mark 10:35-45 ©
James and John, the sons of Zebedee, approached Jesus. ‘Master,’ they said to him ‘we want you to do us a favour.’ He said to them, ‘What is it you want me to do for you?’ They said to him, ‘Allow us to sit one at your right hand and the other at your left in your glory.’ ‘You do not know what you are asking’ Jesus said to them. ‘Can you drink the cup that I must drink, or be baptised with the baptism with which I must be baptised?’ They replied, ‘We can.’ Jesus said to them, ‘The cup that I must drink you shall drink, and with the baptism with which I must be baptised you shall be baptised, but as for seats at my right hand or my left, these are not mine to grant; they belong to those to whom they have been allotted.’ When the other ten heard this they began to feel indignant with James and John, so Jesus called them to him and said to them, ‘You know that among the pagans their so-called rulers lord it over them, and their great men make their authority felt. This is not to happen among you. No; anyone who wants to become great among you must be your servant, and anyone who wants to be first among you must be slave to all. For the Son of Man himself did not come to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.’

Gospel

James and John, the sons of Zebedee, approached Jesus. ‘Master,’ they said to him ‘we want you to do us a favour.’ He said to them, ‘What is it you want me to do for you?’ They said to him, ‘Allow us to sit one at your right hand and the other at your left in your glory.’ ‘You do not know what you are asking’ Jesus said to them. ‘Can you drink the cup that I must drink, or be baptised with the baptism with which I must be baptised?’ They replied, ‘We can.’ Jesus said to them, ‘The cup that I must drink you shall drink, and with the baptism with which I must be baptised you shall be baptised, but as for seats at my right hand or my left, these are not mine to grant; they belong to those to whom they have been allotted.’

When the other ten heard this they began to feel indignant with James and John, so Jesus called them to him and said to them, ‘You know that among the pagans their so-called rulers lord it over them, and their great men make their authority felt. This is not to happen among you. No; anyone who wants to become great among you must be your servant, and anyone who wants to be first among you must be slave to all. For the Son of Man himself did not come to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.’

Alternative gospel	Mark 10:42-45 ©
Jesus called the Twelve to him and said to them, ‘You know that among the pagans their so-called rulers lord it over them, and their great men make their authority felt. This is not to happen among you. No; anyone who wants to become great among you must be your servant, and anyone who wants to be first among you must be slave to all. For the Son of Man himself did not come to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.’

Alternative gospel

Jesus called the Twelve to him and said to them, ‘You know that among the pagans their so-called rulers lord it over them, and their great men make their authority felt. This is not to happen among you. No; anyone who wants to become great among you must be your servant, and anyone who wants to be first among you must be slave to all. For the Son of Man himself did not come to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.’