A Reflection for Monday of the Seventeenth Week in Odd Time
“ that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them,
and the nice ones make their authority over them felt.
But it surely shall not be so amongst you.
Relatively, whoever wishes to be great amongst you shall be your servant.” (Mt 20:25-26)
St. James gets a brutal treatment here within the lectionary. On his feast day, we don’t hear about his dramatic decision to follow Jesus on the seashore. We don’t hear about how he witnessed the Transfiguration. Nope. As an alternative we get to recall how Jesus rebuked him and his brother for wanting to take a seat next to him.
After all, James and John aren’t attempting to corner Jesus for a great conversation; they’re asking for seats at his right and his left; they’re asking for positions of authority.
After Jesus replies with an eerie premonition about his death on a cross, a death that a few of the apostles will share in (“My cup you’ll indeed drink”), Jesus transitions right into a sermon about leadership and authority.
“ that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them,
and the nice ones make their authority over them felt. But it surely shall not be so amongst you.”
While today’s Gospel is likely to be a bit embarrassing for the sons of Zebedee, we understand it isn’t the tip of the story.
This subversive approach to leadership ultimately leads Jesus to Calvary. But Jesus’ proscription for leadership isn’t just in regards to the sacrifice on Good Friday. His entire way of exercising his authority is a continuing giving of himself: healing the sick and lame; feeding the hungry; washing the dirty feet of his apostles, whom he dares to call friends.
Jesus’ message isn’t only for the disciples. It isn’t even only for those in explicitly defined positions of authority. The temptation to lord authority over one other, to dominate someone with power, is as old as original sin. It’s baked into our social structures, and it lurks behind all of our interpersonal relationships. But within the face of temptation, Jesus asks us to decide on a unique path: humble service.
While today’s Gospel is likely to be a bit embarrassing for the sons of Zebedee, we understand it isn’t the tip of the story. Within the Acts of the Apostles, we learn that Herod had James “killed by the sword.” James, who claimed he could drink of the identical cup as Jesus (we will hear the chauvinistic bravado in his voice), is the primary apostle to be martyred.
But even that isn’t the tip of the story. Paul reminds us in today’s first reading: “We too imagine and subsequently speak, knowing that the one who raised the Lord Jesus, will raise us also with Jesus.” Was James raised to Jesus’ right or left? It’s got to be close.
