Bible
Study: 1 Peter 1, 18 to 25 and Mark 10, 32 to 45.
The desire
for greatness is something that is in-built in every single human being. Having
being created in the image and likeness of a great God, we have in our DNA a
longing for self-actualization. We all want to realize our full potentials and
achieve our maximum abilities. We all look forward to attaining the peak or the
best position in any endeavour we find ourselves.
Even the
least paid gateman in a company dreams of becoming the CEO someday and there is
no normal person who would turn down an opportunity for greatness. Even in
Christianity, the aspiration of every Christian is to get to the highest
possible level of the faith which is heaven of course and it is a longing and
aspiration that pushes us on every day. We not only desire to be in heaven, we
long to be occupy positions of authority when we get there.
In today’s
Gospel passage, we see two brothers who were not ashamed to tell Jesus of their
aspiration for greatness. “Teacher, we want you to do for us whatever we ask of
you.” And he said to them, “What do you want me to do for you?” And they said
to him, “Grant us to sit, one at your right hand and one at your left, in your
glory.” But Jesus said to them, “You do not know what you are asking. Are you
able to drink the cup that I drink, or to be baptized with the baptism with
which I am baptized?” And they said to him, “We are able.”
Note that Jesus
did not rebuke them, he only asked if they were willing to pay the price for
greatness. Dear friends, as much as we are all bundles of potentials, we would
never achieve our true worth unless we are ready to pay the price. It is indeed
true that nothing good comes easy. A student who desires straight A’s for
instance will not get one if he or she refuses to pay the price of burning the
midnight candles.
Even
getting to heaven involves having to drink the cup of pain and sacrifice. On
the night of his arrest at the garden of Gethesemane, when Jesus was face to
face with this same chalice he begged God: “My Father, if it be possible, let
this cup pass from me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as thou wilt.” Matthew
26, 39.
After
Jesus had inquired of James and John if they were willing to pay the price, the
next thing he says is rather troubling. “The cup that I drink you will drink;
and with the baptism with which I am baptized, you will be baptized; but to sit
at my right hand or at my left is not mine to grant, but it is for those for
whom it has been prepared.”
This means
that paying the price for greatness itself does not guarantee us anything. Of
course, we must do our part, the student for instance must burn the midnight
candle, we must be disciplined enough to work hard but success is something
that only God can give! In other words, in the end, it is not our efforts that
will get us to greatness, instead it is God himself who makes us great by rewarding
our sacrifices. Just as it is possible to read very well as a student and still
fail an exam, it is possible to suffer so much and still not make it in life.
We are
always at the mercy of God but that does not mean we shouldn’t make the effort.
There are a lot of people who believe solely in themselves or in their own
abilities, they do not see any reason why they should pray to God or go to
church. They believe that if they do what is right, they must get there. But as
Jesus says, we may drink the cup and receive the baptism but as to seats, they
belong to those to whom they have been assigned. Who knows if those seats were
actually assigned for James and John? But Jesus would not tell them because he
wanted them to actually drink the cup that was coming to them.
The other
disciples became jealous of James and John because they were bold enough to ask
for greatness. They too desired to be great but like most of us, kept it to
themselves. They did not want Jesus to look at them like ambitious persons so
they were quiet. After all, the other day, they were arguing among them, who
was the greatest.
Note again
that Jesus did not find any fault in their aspiration instead he told them the
secret of achieving greatness. WHOEVER WOULD BE GREAT AMONG YOU MUST BE YOUR
SERVANT, AND WHOEVER WOULD BE FIRST AMONG YOU MUST BE SLAVE OF ALL. In the real
sense, our gatemen, our house helps, our gardeners, those we consider as
good-for-nothing have already achieved greatness. Do you notice that despite
the fact that they don’t have much, they are always happy and content? Do you
notice how we can’t do anything without them? How they seem to laugh at us for
having more worries than they do?
The key to
greatness is to serve others.
Let us pray:
Lord Jesus, give the grace I
need to humble myself so as to achieve my deepest aspiration for greatness.
Amen.
Good morning.
Be Happy. Live Positive. Have Faith. It is well with you.
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