WEDNESDAY IN THE 2ND WEEK OF LENT
MASS READINGS AND GOSPEL COMMENTARIES:
“THE SON OF MAN DID NOT COME TO BE SERVED”
(Mt 20: 17-28).
“THE SON OF MAN DID NOT COME TO BE SERVED”
MASS READINGS
READING I
Jer 18:18–20
The people of Judah and the citizens of Jerusalem said, “Come, let us contrive a plot against Jeremiah. It will not mean the loss of instruction from the priests, nor of counsel from the wise, nor of messages from the prophets. And so, let us destroy him by his own tongue; let us carefully note his every word.”
Heed me, O Lord, and listen to what my adversaries say. Must good be repaid with evil that they should dig a pit to take my life? Remember that I stood before you to speak in their behalf, to turn away your wrath from them.
RESPONSORIAL PSALM
R. Save me, O Lord, in your kindness.
You will free me from the snare they set for me,
for you are my refuge.
Into your hands I commend my spirit;
you will redeem me, O Lord, O faithful God.
R. Save me, O Lord, in your kindness.
I hear the whispers of the crowd, that frighten me from every side,
as they consult together against me, plotting to take my life.
R. Save me, O Lord, in your kindness.
But my trust is in you, O Lord;
I say, “You are my God.”
In your hands is my destiny; rescue me
from the clutches of my enemies and my persecutors.
R. Save me, O Lord, in your kindness.
VERSE BEFORE THE GOSPEL
I am the light of the world, says the Lord; he who follows me will have the light of life.
GOSPEL
Mt 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 Jesus 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 chalice that I am going to drink?” They said to him, “We can.” He replied, “My chalice 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.”
- Our Lord Jesus Christ foretells His Passion, Death and Resurrection. It is the third time He prophesies on His Paschal Mystery which is the fulfillment of the God the Father’s Will to redeem humanity through His Only-Begotten Son.
- The fact that Jesus foretold this thrice seems to respond to his intention of purifying and rectifying the Apostles’ worldly vision of His messianic kingdom so as to prepare them for the ignominy of the Cross. But still, his Apostles and disciples have not understood, as shown by the request of the mother of James and John to “Command that these two sons of mine sit, one at your right and the other at your left, in your kingdom.”
- Jesus asks James and John if they are ready to suffer with him. using the familiar Hebrew image of a chalice, which symbolises the will of God for an individual (cf Ps 16:5). “The Lord’s is a bitter chalice, which will turn to a chalice of blessings (Is 51:17-22), for all men.
- Drinking the cup of another was a sign of deep friendship and of readiness to share a common destiny. It is to this intimate relationship that Our Lord invites those who wish to follow him. To take part in the glorious resurrection one has to share the Cross with him (F. Fernández-Carvajal, In Conversation with God, vol. 2, 15.1).”
- Once more, Jesus underlines the importance of a life of service: for this He has come. It is an example to be imitated by all Christians, but most especially by those in authority, who should avoid being domineering but rather provide an exemplary behaviour.
VIDEO COMMENTARY
TOPIC: WHEN YOU DO SOMETHING GOOD FOR OTHERS, DO YOU EXPECT A REWARD?
In today’s first reading, the prophet Jeremiah gets wind of plots to kill him because people saw him as a trouble-maker. They were uncomfortable with his teachings. Jeremiah cries out to God, (v. 20) “Must good be repaid with evil that they should dig a pit to take my life? Remember that I stood before you to speak in their behalf, to turn away your wrath from them.”In today’s gospel reading, Jesus is treated the same way. He turned off many people and eventually was crucified. He lets His disciples know, and this is for the third time, that he will meet persecution and death.
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