February 27, 2013

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Wednesday of the Second Week of Lent 
Lectionary: 232

Reading 1JER 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 PsalmPS 31:5-6, 14, 15-16

R. (17b) 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.

God, be merciful to me and protect me.  Don't let me fall in the trap of the wicked.  Be my Guardian.  To you, my God, I give my soul.  Take me back my loving God. 

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.

My God, I am afraid because the people are plotting against me.  Save me my Lord.

But my trust is in you, O LORD;I say, “You are my God.”In your hands is my destiny; rescue mefrom the clutches of my enemies and my persecutors.R. Save me, O Lord, in your kindness.

I have faith in you my God. You are my God.  In you is my end.  Save me those who would harm me.  Save me Lord in your mercy.

GospelMT 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.”

On their way to Jerusalem, Jesus warned the Apostles that the Jews were going to arrest Him, torture Him and put Him to death.

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.”

The mother of James and John, a typical mother who can be forgiven because of her great love, didn't seem to be interested in Jesus' passion.  Because she was more interested in that which mattered to her, the destiny of her children.   So, she asked Jesus to command that her children sit at His left and right hand in His 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.”

Jesus replied that this was not His decision to make but the Father's in heaven.

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.”

Then, all the Apostles became indignant that the Sons of Thunder should be asking for a higher position in the Kingdom of God.  So Jesus explained that they should not seek to be lords over each other.  But they should seek to be the servants one of the other.  Because it is the servant of all who will be the greater in  God's Kingdom.

In the same way, Jesus concluded, He came to do good for mankind and to die for the salvation of the world.