Preparation
O Lord, open our lips
and our mouth shall proclaim your praise.
Hear our voice, O Lord, according to you faithful love,
according to your judgement give us life.
Blessed are you, God of compassion and mercy,
to you be praise and glory for ever.
In the darkness of our sin,
your light breaks forth like the dawn
and your healing springs up for deliverance.
As we rejoice in the gift of your saving help,
sustain us with your bountiful Spirit
and open our lips to sing your praise.
Blessed be God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
Blessed be God for ever.
Matthew 20.17-28
While Jesus was going up to Jerusalem, he took the twelve disciples aside by themselves, and said to them on the way, ‘See, we are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be handed over to the chief priests and scribes, and they will condemn him to death; then they will hand him over to the Gentiles to be mocked and flogged and crucified; and on the third day he will be raised.’
Then the mother of the sons of Zebedee came to him with her sons, and kneeling before him, she asked a favour of him. And he said to her, ‘What do you want?’ She said to him, ‘Declare that these two sons of mine will sit, one at your right hand and one at your left, in your kingdom.’ But Jesus answered, ‘You do not know what you are asking. Are you able to drink the cup that I am about to drink?’ They said to him, ‘We are able.’ He said to them, ‘You will indeed drink my cup, but to sit at my right hand and at my left, this is not mine to grant, but it is for those for whom it has been prepared by my Father.’
When the ten heard it, they were angry with the two brothers. But Jesus called them to him and said, ‘You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones are tyrants over them. It will not be so among you; but whoever wishes to be great among you must be your servant, and whoever wishes 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 a ransom for many.’
Reflection
Jesus said: You will indeed drink my cup …
As we journey through the season of Lent we are presented with a series of challenges. We are challenged to be self-sacrificial in the way we fast and live in a spirit of generous love for all. We are challenged to set aside our desire to be respected and honoured by those amongst whom we live out our daily lives. We are challenged to examine the sincerity of our faith. We are challenged to prepare ourselves for the reality of Christ’s ignominious death on a cross.
Today we read of Jesus going up to Jerusalem for the last time. He is in the company of his disciples, and he is aware of what lies ahead of him. At this moment in the gospel narrative Jesus, in plain words, tells those closest to him that they will soon see him condemned, mocked, flogged and crucified. He also tells them that on the third day he will be raised. In so few words Jesus revealed the endgame of his earthly mission. Jesus came for this … to offer himself for the salvation of humanity. However, despite this moment of great revelation, our reading takes us straight back into the world of ambition and pride.
In a few weeks’ time we will join the crowds as they move from hailing the triumphant arrival of Jesus as he rides into Jerusalem to the ravening mob who bay for his execution. As our Lenten journey draws to a close for another year we may well shed a tear at the foot of the cross on Good Friday. Then we will join in the celebrations of our Lenten fasts coming to an end as the new Easter candles are lit and Christ’s resurrection is proclaimed. But, then what?
In recent days I have been asking people: ‘How will your Lenten fast bring you into a closer relationship with God?’ Today I am asking that question again. What difference will your journey through Lent 2023 make to the way in which you live your life when the Easter celebrations are over? Will the devouring of Easter Eggs mark a return to life as normal, or will you pause to reflect and then go forward in the new life won for us by Christ?
Today we hear Jesus’ monumental declaration of what lies ahead followed by the naked ambition of the mother of two of the disciples. This is followed by a moment of anger between the disciples. It is as though Jesus had said nothing of any consequence, normal life continued! The challenge for us is to decide between hearing Jesus’ words and letting them make a difference or just carrying on as normal, living the very human life of ambition, pride and anger.
Let us pray that our tears on Good Friday might be followed by an intense joy that inspires us to proclaim the Good News with renewed vigour and joy. Let us pray that the pain of the journey we are on might give way, not to relief, but renewed strength and courage. Let us pray that we might be filled with the Holy Spirit as we serve as Jesus served.
Prayers
In penitence and faith let us make our prayer to the Father
and ask for his mercy and grace.
For your holy people,
that they may triumph over evil and grow in grace,
we pray to you, O Lord.
For candidates for baptism and confirmation,
that they may live by every word that proceeds from your mouth,
we pray to you, O Lord.
For the leaders of the nations,
that you will guide them in the ways of mercy and truth,
we pray to you, O Lord.
For the needy,
that they may not be forgotten,
nor the hope of the poor be taken away,
we pray to you, O Lord.
For the sick in body, mind and spirit,
that they may know your power to heal,
we pray to you, O Lord.
For the poor in spirit,
that they may inherit the kingdom of heaven
and see you face to face,
we pray to you, O Lord.
Let us commend the world, for which Christ suffered,
to the mercy and protection of God.
Almighty God,
by the prayer and discipline of Lent
may we enter into the mystery of Christ’s sufferings,
and by following in his Way
come to share in his glory;
through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.
Let us pray with confidence as our Saviour has taught us
Our Father, who art in heaven,
hallowed be thy name;
thy kingdom come;
thy will be done;
on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our trespasses,
as we forgive those who trespass against us.
And lead us not into temptation;
but deliver us from evil.
For thine is the kingdom,
the power and the glory,
for ever and ever.
Amen.
Christ give us grace to grow in holiness,
to deny ourselves,
take up our cross,
and follow him;
and the blessing of God almighty,
the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit,
be among us and remain with us always.
Amen.
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