your glory.” But Jesus said to them, “You don’t know what you are asking. Can you drink the cup that I drink or be baptized in the way I am baptized?”
They answered, “We can.” And Jesus told them, “The cup that I drink you will drink, and you will be baptized in the way I am baptized. But to sit at my right or at my left
is not mine to grant. It has been prepared for others.” On hearing this, the other ten were angry with James and John; Jesus then called them to him and said, “As you know,
the so-called rulers of the nations act as tyrants and their great ones oppress them. But it shall not be so among you; whoever would be great among you must be
your servant, and whoever would be first among you shall make himself slave of all. Think of the Son of Man who has not come to be served but to serve and to
give his life to redeem many.”

Lectio Divina

READ: The disciples are now jockeying for position in what they expect would
be a political Kingdom of their Master. James and John wanted to be in the
highest position next to Jesus only. This made the other ten disciples angry who
are also hoping that they will be in the top position when the Kingdom of Jesus
materialized. Thus Jesus has to school them on the true meaning of greatness,
that is, serving others is the path to becoming great.

REFLECT: There are people who would even use the Church to further their
self-promotion and interest. Nothing is sacred for them. Everything is in function
to their dreams and ambition. And so, the disciples are in disarray when the
other ten found out that James and John already made a move to be ahead
of them in the Kingdom of Jesus. Rivalry, envy and jealousy reared its ugly
head. Jesus has to step in before the situation escalates. He has to reorient the
earthly ambitions of His disciples to that of service. The disciples must not be
concerned with titles and positions of power for they are lost in the end. No
one clings to power forever. They must learn to enjoy every moment and live
it meaningfully by serving others. He tells them that the law of success here on
earth is the opposite to that of heaven. While one climbs the ladder of earthly
success, in heaven success is a downward movement of self-emptying and of
serving others in humility.

RESPOND: What is our measurement of success? Do we delight in acquiring
or in giving? We might want to see how we evaluate our success so that we will
know what drives us to achieve them.