reflections for the 29th sunday in ordinary time (b)

James and John, Zebedee's sons, did not know what they were asking for. Neither did they have any idea what Jesus was talking about - drinking the cup he would drink, or being baptized in a bath of pain. What the brothers were mainly preoccupied with was to sit beside him whom they thought would eventually become as powerful a king as David, and from their seats to lord it over the other ten.

This was what ignorance did to the sons of Zebedee, and of course, to the other disciples. When they learned of the brothers' request, they were furious with them because each actually wanted to make sure of his position in what they thought would be the earthly kingdom of the Master.

It would take a crucifixion and the death of Jesus, their experience of the Risen Lord, and the coming down of the Holy Spirit for them all to change their whole perspective and their understanding of what it really meant to be Jesus' followers. Once they did, they forgot all ambitions to worldly power, wealth and honor.

The same ignorance can plague each and every one of us. We can do things that people who understand better will never dare. We need to be freed from this overriding force, to be enlightened and to have our eyes opened.

We too need to experience the death of him who gave "his lie as an offering to sin". We too need to experience the presence of the Risen Lord in our lives so that we can see "the light in fullness of days", We too need to be connected to him, the High Priest, "who was tempted in every way that we are, yet never sinned".

Every moment is a learning process for us - to know more about Jesus and to understand deeply what he was and is all about. When we stand open to the promptings of the Holy Spirit who first came and filled the hearts of those gathered waiting for him, we end up like the first Apostles, forgetting all ambitions to world power, wealth and honor. When that happens, the will of the Lord shall have been accomplished in us through Jesus Christ.


Fr Jess A. Enciso