Meditation Minute

My Dearest Brothers and Sisters in Christ:

“Can you drink the cup that I am going to drink?”

Gospel Reading: Matthew 20:17-28

As Jesus was going up to Jerusalem, he took the twelve (disciples) aside by themselves, and said to them on the way, “Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be handed over to the chief priests and the scribes, and they will condemn him to death, and hand him over to the Gentiles to be mocked and scourged and crucified, and he will be raised on the third day." Then the mother of the sons of Zebedee approached him with her sons and did him homage, wishing to ask him for something. He said to her, "What do you wish?" She answered him, "Command that these two sons of mine sit, one at your right and the other at your left, in your kingdom." Jesus said in reply, "You do not know what you are asking. Can you drink the cup that I am going to drink?" They said to him, "We can." He replied, "My cup you will indeed drink, but to sit at my right and at my left (, this) is not mine to give but is for those for whom it has been prepared by my Father." When the ten heard this, they became indignant at the two brothers. 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."

Jesus tells his disciples that he is going to be judged and condemned by the chief priests and scribes and then crucified by the Gentiles.  So who are these priests, these scribes and Gentiles who are responsible for his death.  They are each and every one of us.  Every time we sin, every time we deny Christ, we join in with those that crucified Christ.  It was not the Jews, nor the Romans, nor the Greeks, but everyone who has lived; everyone who is living today; and everyone who will come in the future – we all judged, condemned and crucified Christ.  And even though we did all this to him, He still came to “serve and to give his life as a ransom for many”.  I was asked one time, “Why doesn’t it say a ransom for all?”  Does Christ not suffer and die for all our sins.  The answer is yes.  But not all of us will accept Christ’s teachings.  Not all of us will accept the cup that has been poured out for.  God does not force us to love him, nor does He force us to bend our will to follow his.  Jesus ransomed his life for all those who live out the Gospel in their own life.  So what do I need to do to accept the ransom of Christ – to serve and not to be served.  We must be willing to drink the cup which has been poured out for us.  Lent is a great time to refocus our life from one of receiving to one of giving.  We are called into a life of prayer, of fasting and giving alms to others.  When we commit to these, we accept the ransom that was poured out for us by Christ.  During Lent, who is more important – you or your fellow man? What do you desire more – your own worldly goods or to cloth and feed those who have nothing? To sit at the right hand of the Father is not an easy request. You must be willing to lead the sacrificial life we are called to live.

A Simple Prayer

Lord God, you are my master and my ruler.

Give me the strength and wisdom to drink from your cup.

I want to carry the cross which leads others to heaven

Yours in Christ

Michael Marcon