[Salvation]

But Jesus summoned them and said,
"You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them,
and the great ones make their authority over them felt.
But it shall not be so among you.
Rather, whoever wishes to be great among you shall be your servant;
whoever wishes to be first among you shall be your slave.
Just so, the Son of Man did not come to be served
but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many."

Almost a bittersweet reflection for today's clergy and hierarchy, and yes, even us the laity.

[Salvation]

Gospel meditation from The Word Among Us

Thursday, July 25, 2002

Meditation
Matthew 20:20-28



St. James

Are you able to drink the cup that I am to drink? (Matthew 20:22)

Jesus asked James and John this question when they sought to reserve the best seats in his kingdom. Instead of assuring these “sons of thunder” places of honor, he challenged them to follow his example of service—even unto death, if necessary. “The Son of man came, not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many” (Matthew 20:28).

James must have taken Jesus’ exhortation to heart, because not many years later he did indeed drink the same cup that his Master had. Around Passover time in a.d. 44, King Herod Agrippa, grandson of Herod the Great, began persecuting the Christian community in Jerusalem: “He had James, the brother of John, killed with the sword” (Acts 12:2). According to an early church tradition passed on by Clement of Alexandria, the accuser who brought James before Herod was so moved by the apostle’s witness that he became a Christian on the spot and was beheaded along with James.

James lost his life because he was committed to serving the fledgling church. He could have run away to Cyprus or Antioch and hidden from King Herod’s rage. But he chose instead to stay where God had called him and give himself to the very end. As a result, the church in Jerusalem was able to stick together and grow during a very dangerous time.

In the ancient world, offering another one’s own cup to drink from was considered a great sign of friendship. James didn’t shrink from sharing Jesus’ cup, although it meant spending himself in service and even sharing in his Master’s suffering. Jesus has called us his friends (John 15:14-15), and he offers us his cup, too. Therefore, in every relationship we are in—with our family members, friends, coworkers, and neighbors—and in every situation in which we find ourselves, our primary question is, “How is Jesus asking me to serve here?” As we generously respond, we’ll see God’s grace flow through us as it did through James, and we, too, will bear fruit in God’s kingdom.

“Make my heart like yours, Lord Jesus. Give me the love and courage to look beyond myself and to serve others generously, as you did.”