You Will Drink Of The Cup That I Drink

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

In our last week of STEPS we consider Sharing our faith with those close to us.  The brothers, James and John, show their true colors by vying with one another to be number one (Mark 10: 35-45).  Jesus responds with great patience by saying, “Can you drink the cup that I drink or be baptized with the baptism which I am to be baptized?”   He means to say can you drink the same cup of suffering that I will drink on the cross?  Or can you be immersed (the meaning of the original word) or submerged by calamities like I am going through?   Jesus Christ comes not to give rewards but to suffer for our salvation.

The repetition of the words that he uses: can you drink of the cup…you will drink of the cup…you will be baptized in the same sufferings that I am immersed in, shows the awesomeness of this prediction.  It is a prophetic word that Jesus gives them since James is the first to be martyred by beheading when he was bishop of Jerusalem and John was sent to his death many times before he was exiled to Patmos.   You can tell you are engaging in the faith, in the parish when the cup of Christ is offered to you.

The beauty of this gospel is Jesus’ response.  He doesn’t get annoyed with them and he reacts as he would like them to react when they face a problem with their disciples.  He reacts with peace.  It is a teaching moment.  Jesus doesn’t just tell them what to do but he acts it out.

Jesus is on their level which is very unusual for a rabbi who usually sits on his chair, his cathedra, and his disciples sit at his feet.  Jesus doesn’t look down on them; he serves them, and is patient with them.  He does not put others below himself.   It is as if he were saying: come to me all you who are tired and find life burdensome.         For a Jew to consider him or herself a servant or slave is very radical.  Slaves were well taken care of but they were considered socially inferior.  Jesus is trying, once again, to correct them of their false messianic expectations.  So for us also to serve means to share the best thing we have with others: our faith.  Don’t look down on them, spend time with them, and at the right moment speak simply to them.  It is not that you are superior, just the opposite.  You see how God has helped you and you see that only with God’s grace you can bring others to him.

Whoever wants to be great as you all do then you will start to be the servant of mom, dad, mother-in-law, neighbor, office mate, brother, sister, friend.  The best way to serve them is to share your faith, to tell them what God has done for you and your hopes of what he can do for them.  No need to be afraid.  The Holy Spirit will give you the words to say.

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