This gospel is a fitting one for us to ponder on Mission Sunday. The closing line sums up its message well, “The Son of Man did not come to be served but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many.” That sentence is one of the most remarkable sentences in all scripture. Let’s listen to it again: “For the Son of Man did not come to be served but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many.” Dying on the cross, he did ransom us.
I imagine that is one sentence James and John did not expect to hear from Jesus even though he had often demonstrated service throughout his public ministry. They and the other apostles had heard Jesus foretell of his pending passion three times with its gruesome outcome, yet the dire reality of his forecast had not yet hit home. Instead, these ambitious brothers, being close friends of Jesus along with Peter, had the nerve to ask for positions of honor when he came to power. Their self-centeredness shows that they had not yet grasped the full meaning of Jesus’ prediction.
Like dogs wagging their tales in anticipation of a reward, they were quick to say, “We can,” when Jesus asked if they could drink of the cup that he would drink or be baptized with the baptism with which he would be baptized. Drinking the cup was an expression used then to show acceptance of the destiny assigned by God. Still, they were betting on Jesus to come into glory and liberate their homeland from oppression.
Jesus assured them, “The cup that I drink, you will drink, and with the baptism with which I am baptized, you will be baptized.” He isn’t speaking of the sacraments we often celebrate. He is speaking of sharing his experience. What Jesus offered James and John, he is offering us as well; a share in what he does as savior; and what he does as savior is giving of himself selflessly for the good of others.
Some people leave the Church when their faith journeys get challenging or discomforting. They get angry with God, the pope, the archbishop, their pastor, or other believers whom they have an issue with. Many others get angry too but they stay, knowing that running away would not be a solution for them. Through prayer and spiritual growth, they come to realize that being a disciple of Jesus is no easy undertaking.
To paraphrase Jesus, imagine him saying to this motley group of disciples, “Gentlemen, if what is motivating you to follow me is the dream of earthly power, then think again. Let me warn you that being one of my disciples will not be easy because no close relationship is easy. If greatness is what you are seeking, then anyone among you who aspires to being great must serve the rest.”
Too bad his words continue to fall on deaf ears. The latest scandal in the Church is the abuse of clericalism by bishops who covered up the wrong doing of their priests instead of striving to serve the faithful by upholding the dignity of those who were victimized. The image of leaders lording over others to make their authority felt will always stand in stark contrast to the leadership style of Jesus.
Last Sunday Pope Francis canonized Archbishop Oscar Romero of San Salvador. Years ago, when I first viewed the movie, Romero, I was stunned to learn of his many selfless acts, fighting to uphold the dignity of the poor in his country, often speaking out against the repression they endured at the hands of the country’s military regime. At one point, he risked his life to retrieve the Blessed Sacrament from a tabernacle while under gunfire from a soldier whose battalion had taken over a village church. He didn’t hesitate to drink of the cup that Jesus spoke of. The archbishop was later assassinated while celebrating Mass in the spring of 1980.
This weekend aswe honor missionaries for what they do, selflessly serving peoples in third world countries, we should ask ourselves how willing are we to defend the faith and share the good news, much less give our lives? Would we be willing, as were James and John and Archbishop Romero to drink the cup of suffering that Jesus offers us?
I suspect most of us would say, “No way.” That is a far cry from the mindset of missionaries, past and present. Many sacrificed the usual amenities we take for granted leaving their families behind to serve in distant lands so that others can encounter Jesus and our Catholic faith.
While none of us are likely to be martyrs or missionaries, we can still rise to the challenge Jesus presents here. We can at least strive to diminish our self-centeredness just as James and John did and find our greatness by serving the needs of others. The distinguishing mark of discipleship is an attitude of humble, joyful service to others. It is an attitude that flies in the face of the “what’s in it for me” approach we often take in our dealings with others, an attitude that Jesus says of his followers, “it shall not be so among you.”
Being a servant doesn’t mean allowing others to walk all over us. To serve others means to let God work through our efforts to love, to forgive, to secure justice, to support and to help. A disciple’s faith enables one to experience joy, not in the acclaim we receive for what we do nor in the success we can measure, but in the joy we bring into the lives of others one small act at a time. Like missionaries, we bring the reign of Christ to life in our own small, simple, ordinary acts of kindness, generosity and peace that bring a measure of hope, dignity and healing to others.
This is a great parish because many live this lesson well.