Can you drink the chalice I will drink?

Today, in the Catholic Church, we celebrate the feast of St. James. He is one of the inner circle of Jesus’ apostles – Peter, James and John. He was a witness to the Transfiguration of Jesus, and to his agony in the garden, though he slept through most of it. He ran away from the garden when Jesus was captured. However, filled with the Holy Spirit he gave his life for Jesus in the year 44 A.D. he was beheaded by King Herod.

Saturday 25 July 2020

Can you drink the chalice I will drink?

 Mt 4: 18, 21

As he walked by the Sea of Galilee,

Jesus saw James the son of Zebedee and John his brother

mending their nets and he called them.

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Prayer

Father in heaven, Saint James shed his blood for you

and so brought down blessings on the early Church.

May his courageous faith strengthen us in following your Word

and may his prayer bring us your protection.

We make our prayer through your Son,

Christ Jesus our Lord.

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First reading

2 Corinthians 4:7-15 ·

Such an overwhelming power comes from God and not from us

We are only the earthenware jars that hold this treasure, to make it clear that such an overwhelming power comes from God and not from us. We are in difficulties on all sides, but never cornered; we see no answer to our problems, but never despair; we have been persecuted, but never deserted; knocked down, but never killed; always, wherever we may be, we carry with us in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus, too, may always be seen in our body. Indeed, while we are still alive, we are consigned to our death every day, for the sake of Jesus, so that in our mortal flesh the life of Jesus, too, may be openly shown. So death is at work in us, but life in you.

But as we have the same spirit of faith that is mentioned in scripture – I believed, and therefore I spoke – we too believe and therefore we too speak, knowing that he who raised the Lord Jesus to life will raise us with Jesus in our turn, and put us by his side and you with us. You see, all this is for your benefit, so that the more grace is multiplied among people, the more thanksgiving there will be, to the glory of God. THE WORD OF THE LORD

Prayerful reflection

In the moments when we are honest with ourselves and look back over our life, we will see things that we have done and said of which we are now ashamed. They reveal us to be a vessel made of clay. Only when we forget them, do we become judgemental and proud. Honesty with ourselves ensures humility and tolerance. It was so with St. James. He made the inappropriate request for a place of superiority in the kingdom. Ignoring all Jesus had said about suffering and death in Jerusalem, he still held on to his illusion of Jesus as king and ruler there (Mark’s Gospel, softened in Matthew’s). In the garden, while Jesus was in agony and ‘sorrow unto death’, he slept right there. When Judas and the mob came to capture Jesus, he ran for his life. Even St. Paul could never forget that he had persecuted the Christian Church and so could call himself the worst of sinners. ‘If Jesus saved me, then he will save anyone’ (Cf.1 Tim. 1:15). Whatever we may have done and whatever may happen in our life, Jesus is always with us in faithful love. We may fail, but he will never fail us. Every saint had a past and every sinner has a future. Does Jesus give you courage?

 Psalm

Psalm 125(126):1-6

Those who are sowing in tears will sing when they reap.

When the Lord delivered Zion from bondage,

it seemed like a dream.

Then was our mouth filled with laughter,

on our lips there were songs.

Those who are sowing in tears will sing when they reap.

The heathens themselves said: ‘What marvels

the Lord worked for them!’

What marvels the Lord worked for us!

Indeed we were glad.

Those who are sowing in tears will sing when they reap.

Deliver us, O Lord, from our bondage

as streams in dry land.

Those who are sowing in tears

will sing when they reap.

Those who are sowing in tears will sing when they reap.

They go out, they go out, full of tears,

carrying seed for the sowing:

they come back, they come back, full of song,

carrying their sheaves.

Those who are sowing in tears will sing when they reap.

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Jn15:16

Alleluia, alleluia!

I chose you from the world

to go out and bear fruit,

fruit that will last,

says the Lord.

Alleluia!

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Gospel

Matthew 20:20-28

'Can you drink the cup that I am going to drink?'

The mother of the sons of Zebedee came to Jesus with her sons to make a request of him, and bowed low; and he said to her, ‘What is it you want?’ She said to him, ‘Promise that these two sons of mine may sit one at your right hand and the other at your left in your kingdom.’ ‘You do not know what you are asking’ Jesus answered. ‘Can you drink the cup that I am going to drink?’ They replied, ‘We can.’ ‘Very well,’ he said ‘you shall drink my cup, but as for seats at my right hand and my left, these are not mine to grant; they belong to those to whom they have been allotted by my Father.’

When the other ten heard this they were indignant with the two brothers. But Jesus called them to him and said, ‘You know that among the pagans the 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 be great among you must be your servant, and anyone who wants to be first among you must be your slave, just as the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.’ THE GOSPEL OF THE LORD.

Prayerful reflection

Jesus has so many followers because he never said to them, ‘Go on’ but always ‘Come on’. We are invited to walk with him. Though the God who is Master of the world and lacking nothing, he emptied himself and became a slave. He lived as the servant of everyone and was meek and humble of heart. He mixed with the high and welcomed the low. Though he detested sin, which nailed him to the cross, he lovingly spent time with sinners. He hoped to be the source of the happiness which they looked for, mistakenly, in sin. He does not tell us from his throne in heaven to bear the sufferings of life, but from the pillar of his scourging and the torture of the Cross. If we unite our sufferings with his, he will also take us with him into his kingdom.

Do we dare to make our life an imitation of Jesus?

They drank the chalice of the Lord,

and became the friends of God.

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Prayer 

Help us, O Lord, we pray,

through the intercession of the blessed Apostle James,

on whose feast day we have received with joy your holy gifts.

Through Christ our Lord.