From Ambition to Service: Learning the Path of Greatness
July 25, 2024 - Thursday, Saint James, Apostle - Feast
Matthew 20:20-28
At the outset of the Gospel, James and John decided to leave behind their father and family business (see Matthew 4:21-22). However, Matthew indicates that their mother also joined them on their journey. In his Gospel, it was their mother who made the famous request on behalf of her sons: “Command that these two sons of mine sit, one at your right and the other at your left, in your Kingdom” (Matt. 20:21).
The request of the mother of James and John follows the third prediction of Jesus’ impending death and resurrection (Matt. 20:17-19). It indicates that neither she nor her sons grasped its meaning. Their failure will be further elaborated in the story of Jesus’ death narrating the betrayal of Judas, the desertion of the eleven, and the denial of Peter.
"Command that these two sons of mine sit, one at your right and the other at your left, in your Kingdom" (Matthew 20:21). In the Kingdom of Christ, we will witness the fullness of His greatness. However, for Christ to establish His Kingdom, He had to offer His life as a ransom for many (Matthew 20:28; Hebrews 4:14). Every disciple of Christ is assured a share in this Kingdom (Romans 8:17; 2 Thessalonians 2:14), which is obtained through the sacraments of baptism and the Eucharist. Through baptism, we are immersed in Jesus' death, dying to sin and living for God (Romans 6:3-11). The Eucharist, received by those who believe, imparts the saving grace of Christ's passion (Mark 14:23-24).
"The cup that I drink, 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" (Matthew 20:23). When the Gospel accounts narrate the passion of the Lord, it is not James and John, but rather two criminals who are found at the right and left sides of Jesus (Mark 15:27). However, everything changed after the resurrection and the descent of the Holy Spirit. James became the first among the twelve to lay down his life for Jesus (Acts 12:2), while John, according to tradition, was the last among them to pass away after labouring tirelessly to preach the Gospel.
To all who, like James and John, seek greatness and positions of honour, Jesus reveals the path of service by becoming "the slave of all" (Matthew 20:27). This path stands in stark contrast to the worldly model of authority where leaders exert power and dominion over others (Matthew 20:25). In the community of Christ's disciples, authority is modelled after the Son of Man, who came not to be served but to serve and give His life as a ransom for many (Matthew 20:28).