Father, I had a different reaction to today's reading than I have had in the past. It's not like I haven't read this scripture before but today it just hit me. I finally got 'the get' of the reading. When the mother asked Jesus if her sons could sit on His right and left, my mind snapped a sour attitude and I immediately thought . . .

"Lady, do you have any idea Who you are talking to? Do you know what This Man is preparing to do for you and your sons? Do you have any idea what His apostles have been doing with Him all this time? Did you know that His apostles literally walked away from their lives and did not even look back in order to follow Him? And do you have any clue what His disciples will go through once He is crucified? Some of them will be laying down their lives for their belief in Him! It's not going to be pretty and it's not going to be easy! Have your sons been walking around with Him, learning from Him, committing to Him through their actions, sleeping outside on the ground and not worrying about what they will eat or drink or what they will wear? Will your sons be able to walk the walk and sacrifice whatever it takes in order to enter the Kingdom much less sit at His right or left? In other words woman, can your sons drink from the same sacrificial cup because this cup involves SACRIFICE AND SERVICE!"

As you can see Father, I was getting all fiesty and mouthy in my head over this reading, just as the apostles became indignant when they witnessed it. I can see how this can be applied to just about anything in Life. I can see how some people want the success of others but do not want to sacrifice what it takes in order to make it happen for themselves. Some will take short cuts in Life or they will lie, cheat and steal in order to have the success that others have worked so hard for legitimately. I can also see how some people want to experience Your blessings but will not even devote even the smallest amount of time to talk to You, praise You, thank You or stand in complete trust and faith in You.

Father, I have been where the mother is and where the sons are in this reading . . . wanting but not sacrificing. I feel as though I know what it takes to drink from Your cup and there will be times when that will involve sacrifice and suffering, not because it is necessary because Your Son already did that for us, but because I am willing to go the distance with You and for You, just as Your apostles did and because I can't help but be in-service to You. I want to because You are YOU!

Being a Christian is clearly not easy, but then if it were, everyone would do it. Being a Christian is the Gold Standard of Living and requires my acceptance of Christ Your Son. Thank You for this awareness today. I'm excited knowing You are right there, right there, with me. Count me in and hold my hand. Here we go into the wilderness. I Love You!

Through Jesus Christ's Most Precious Blood, Most Sacred Name and Most Holy Face, I thank You for this awareness. Amen~

A reading from the Holy Gospel according to Matthew

Matthew 20:17-28

17 As Jesus was going up to Jerusalem, He took the twelve (disciples) aside by themselves, and said to them on the way,

18 "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,

19 and hand Him over to the Gentiles to be mocked and scourged and crucified, and He will be raised on the third day."

20 Then the mother of the sons of Zebedee approached Him with her sons and did Him homage, wishing to ask Him for something.

21 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."

22 Jesus said in reply, "You do not know what you are asking. Can you drink the cup that I am going to drink?" They said to Him, "We can."

23 He replied, "My cup 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."

24 When the ten heard this, they became indignant at the two brothers.

25 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.

26 But it shall not be so among you. Rather, whoever wishes to be great among you shall be your servant;

27 whoever wishes to be first among you shall be your slave.

28 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."

The Gospel of the Lord
Praise to You Lord Jesus Christ

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