Absolute Service!

Wednesday, May 29, 2024

1 Pt 1:18-25; Mk 10:32-45

Today’s Gospel comes with an invaluable lesson on discipleship as absolute service. 

It can be read in three stages. 

Charging Ahead: It is interesting to note how Jesus ‘goes ahead’ of his disciples on the way to Jerusalem. The passage shows that Jesus volunteers to embrace death by going to Jerusalem. Symbolically, the readiness of Christ is what we are called to emulate. The opening scene already sets the stage for the discipleship lesson that follows. 

Correction: However, the request of James and John is unbecoming of the disciples of Jesus, who was concerned about completing his mission successfully through his suffering and death. Their request for recognition is in total contrast with who Jesus is. They make a bold claim by saying, ‘Teacher, we want you to do for us whatever we ask of you.’ How contradictory is their expectation?

We must also look at the reaction of the disciples before reflecting on Jesus’ words of correction. The disciples became indignant at James and John. For what? Maybe they became jealous of the request made by James and John. We can safely assume that other disciples too suffered from the thirst for greatness because they once argued about who among them was the greatest (Mk 9:34). 

Jesus lays out the challenges in front of those who long for privileges in following him. Jesus immediately corrects them by talking about drinking the chalice (that symbolizes the inward sufferings of following him) and being baptized with his baptism (that stands for the outward sufferings). Through his exposition, Jesus annihilates their desire for greatness, root and branch. 

Command: Jesus does not stop with correcting them. He also gives them a new command that totally unsettles them. Jesus reminds those who were contemplating the privileges of leadership and greatness of the burden of service and humility. The way Jesus reverses their expectations is highly instructive. For those who asked, ‘We want you to do for us whatever we ask of you,’ Jesus says, ‘It shall not be so among you.’ The greatness of a Jesus’ disciple lies in service and humility. 

In sum, the demand for absolute power is met with the command for absolute service. 

We are invited to follow the Master, who was born to serve, suffer, and die!

Fr. Dhinakaran Savariyar