What do you want me to do for you?

 

 

Twenty Ninth Sunday in OT  B  2024

 

In today’s Gospel, Jesus asked his disciples:  “What do you wish me to do for you?” 

 

There’s no doubt about it.  Competition is as keen today as it was during Jesus’ time.   Human nature hasn’t changed much in the last two millennia.  We are still driven to be No.1, to earn the most, achieve as much as we can, be recognized for our accomplishments, to have that seat at the “big table.”

 

Chapter 10 of the Gospel of Mark is filled with images of how difficult it is to be a disciple, a follower of Christ.  Jesus says a commitment to a spouse is a lifelong one, as discipleship to Christ must be a lifelong commitment.

 

Jesus goes on to teach the disciples that we must be willing to approach God with the innocence of a children, with total trust in Him.  He admonishes the rich man that he must sell all he has, give it to the poor, and he would have treasure in heaven.  Discipleship means being willing to give up all we have for the kingdom.

 

How often do we struggle with the same things?  When we are faced with issues in our relationships, are we willing to do all we can to meet our commitment to love one another as Christ loves us?  Are we willing to put our total trust in God, in God’s plan for us?  Are we willing to go where God leads us, without question, without doubt?  Can we meet the demand of discipleship by helping those on the fringes of society; feeding the poor; providing shelter to those in need’ welcoming the strange or the refugee reaching out to us?

 

Which brings us to today’s Gospel and the question James and John ask Jesus.  They most likely have reflected on the teaching of Jesus discussed above.  They have acknowledged that they are making a lifelong commitment to follow Him; they have put total trust in his message in in his ministry.  They have given us everything to follow the Lord.  They are saying recognize us for the disciples we war; allow us, when you come into your glory, to sit on either side of you; to sit in a position of respect and honor.

As to opening up his apostles to the true meaning of discipleship, Jesus must be disappointed, because they are thinking of power and glory and praise and all these great, wonderful things, and he is thinking of his own death.

 

And so he says to them,

“Can you drink the cup that I drink?”

 

The cup is the cup of suffering.  Are we able to be followers of the crucified Christ, the Christ who came not to be serve but to serve, the Christ who was willing to lay down his life out of love for each and everyone of us.

 

And then he says,

“or be baptized with the baptism with which I am baptized?”

 

We usually think of a little child being baptized, a new life being baptized. Baptisms of infants is such a precious part of my ministry and brings much to all.

 

But the word baptism means “to be immersed in water.”

 

And the whole story of baptism is we are immersed and drowned in the waters that we might die to our old lives and be brought up out of the waters and live to the new life in Christ.

 

This is why I so prefer immersion baptism so that we may be immersed in the life giving water of Jesus.  But we must know that to be immersed in the life of Jesus in to enter into the paschal mystery – the dying and the rising of Jesus.

 

And so, Jesus knows that he is going to be baptized means that he must die, but in three days he will rise again.

 

James and John said: “We can drink of the cup and we can be baptized with the baptism,” not understanding at all what they are talking about.

 

But Jesus softens and he looks at them and he knows in the future they will return and he says to them, “Yes, someday you will have to drink the cup and someday you will be baptized in this kind of baptism.

 

“But to give you places in heaven, that is not for me to talk about, that is for the Father. It is the prerogative of the Father to speak of rewards, to speak of the things that you are crying out for so much.”

 

 

But the other disciples hear about it, and they protest.  Why do they protest?

They are jealous. They, too, want the first places at the table. They, too, want to be honored. They, too, want power. They, too, are in the competition game. They want to be winners and not losers — finally. They have been losing their whole life and now this man is going to make them winners.

 

And Jesus listens to them squabbling. These are the men that he’s going to found the Kingdom of God?

 

These are the men that want the authority of the world. As we well know, in this life, you do not rise high unless you want power, unless you are somewhat arrogant and forceful. It’s a world in which the authority of the world is based on might and power.

 

And Jesus is offering the authority of God.

And what is the authority of God?

 

The authority of God is not in domination. It is not in winning.

The authority of God is in loving. It is in silence. It is in quietness. It is in accompaniment, a quiet presence. It is in listening. It is in caring. It is in accepting.

It is learning how to love the way the Father loves, because the Father is a giver and not a taker. It is learning how to love the way Jesus loves, so great that he will lay his life down for his people.

 

And this great mystery, that we take so readily today into our own lives, is not understood, or not heard, by the Apostles.

 

And so it is Jesus comes together and he explains it to them. And he explains it to them in these words:

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

 

 

 

May God give you the gift of peace and a missionary spirit of listening, of compassion, of caring, and loving as God loves us.