Daily Word Of God
Matthew 20:21b-23, 25b-28
The mother of the sons of Zebedee came with them to make a request of Jesus said to him, ‘Promise that these two sons of mine may sit one at your right hand and the other at your left in your kingdom.’ Jesus answered, ‘You do not know what you are asking’ Jesus answered. ‘Can you drink the cup that I am going to drink?’ They replied, ‘We can.’
‘Very well,’ he said ‘you shall drink my cup, but as for seats at my right hand and my left, these are not mine to grant; they belong to those to whom they have been allotted by my Father.’
Jesus called the apostles to him and said, ‘You know that among the pagans the rulers lord it over them, and great men make their authority felt. This is not to happen among you. No; anyone who wants to be great among you must be your servant, and anyone who wants to be first among you must be your slave, just as the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.’
Today's Pointers on God's Word
As you read the passage what words, phases or meanings caught your attention?
- Does the mother of Zebedee’s sons remind us of how we too at times “bargain” with God for our own benefits? How and when do such “impure” motives surface?
- With impure motives, we may easily drift into doing good for others, but not receiving the abundant graces that God wants to give us.
- Pray that we will follow the examples of Jesus to serve His Father’s Will fully and not to be served. Bring these thoughts to your prayer and listen to what the Lord is saying to you here and now.