Jesus announces his death as a consequence of all His life. In this, James and John dreamed of power and honors, sowing discord and competition among the disciples. However, the Lord showed them that the only important thing for a disciple, is to follow His example: serving and not being served. In the new society that Jesus projects, the authority does not exercise power, but is a qualification for service that is expressed in giving of oneself for others and for the common good.

Despite the testimony of Jesus, the disciples were tied to worldly schemes, showing little sensitivity to the teachings of the Master. The Sons of Zebedee’s request was a proof of this.

Turning a deaf ear, the sons of Zebedee were concerned in guaranteeing for themselves better places in the Kingdom when Jesus revealed his destiny of suffering and death. It is clear that they were far from being in union with the Kingdom announced by Jesus, for they imagined a place where the leaders becomes great tyrants and become oppressors for they would be dressed in authority.

In the Kingdom desired by Jesus, greatness consists in putting yourself to serve in an unpretentious way; the first place will be occupied by whomever is disposed to assume the condition of servant. Tyranny cedes its place to service, oppression transforms itself into efficacious love benefiting  one’s neighbor.

It was enough to contemplate the way the Master Jesus proceded, that he described himself as the Son of Man, for He never sought to be served. Jesus always maintained his servant posture, conscious of the mission He received from the Father to the point of giving His own life for that all humanity may receive salvation. He was the example in which the disciples should be inspired.

For Jesus authority and the first place in the reign is intimately associated to the capacity to serve. “The greater of you should be that one that serves” (cf Mt 23:11) This fundamental attitude of the disciple will configure the framework of charisms and ministries, whose responsibility is to act in the world to transform the realities to the light of the Word of God. Give some intuitions that can contribute to understand and assume the mission of the Church in the viewpoing of service to the organization and restoration of all the people of God.

So, only when we respond faithfully to our vocation to serve when we become men and woman in profound synthesis and communion with the God of Life, without forgetting not leaving aside in our daily struggle, the poor and the marginalzed (cf Acts 6:1) that need and, therefore, should be served.

How many times do we draw near to Jesus, but without discernment, we ask for things without thinking? How many unnecessary things, that we consider essential, do we ask for when praying to God? Therefore that every instant, it is necessary to ask help from the Holy Spirit in order that He may teach us to pray. Even to pray for our need for the help and mercy of the Father.

The other strong point of this Word is the teaching of the humility that Jesus came to bring us. Today, unfortunately, the world teaches us that we should always be in front, we are to be the best, to have the best business, to receive the highest salary, finally, we should “have”. In the middle of this, we should act the opposite. Jesus asks us to be the least, he asks us not to count the advantages that we have or that we are; therefore, we should act in a form of humility, always seeking to serve more than being served, to love more than being loved, to pardon more than being pardoned.

We ask that the Lord gives us a meek and humble heart. That today, we spend valuing the things above and not the earthly things. Our goal is Heaven. We are made to be citizens of the Kingdom, and the passport to there is love and humility. Therefore, humbly and on knee, we should serve our brothers and sisters. Whomever loves serves, and whomever serves makes himself small before men, but great before God.

That our heart may be able to open itself more and more to love God in the neighbor.

Jesus meek and humble of heart, make my heart similar to Yours. Father, transform me to be servant of my neighbors, making me always ready to give my life that Your love may arrive to others.

Father  Bantu Mendonça
Fr. Bantu Mendonça katchipwi Sayla is a priest for the Diocese of Tubarão, Angola

translated from Portuguese