The sons of Zebedee

The readings in the past few Sundays come from chapter 10 of Mark’s Gospel. We see Jesus going towards Jerusalem, walking with his disciples, talking to them, taking advantage of this walk by forming them. Jesus is also walking with us and we need to be aware of his presence. We are accompanying him towards the heavenly Jerusalem. They sat down to rest and the sons of Zebedee took advantage of this moment to ask something they wanted to ask. In Matthew’s Gospel it is their mother, Salome, who asks. James and John, who Jesus nicknamed Boanerges, sons of thunder, were with Peter the three beloved apostles. They had a special place in Jesus’ heart. We too could be part of this group of Jesus’ close friends.

They asked for the best two positions of power in his kingdom. This is what it means to sit at the right and the left hand side of the king. Suddenly everybody stopped talking, listening with big ears to what Jesus had to say. Thanks to their special friendship with Jesus, they could snatch the two top spots. Not too long ago they were discussing among themselves who would be the greatest in Jesus’ kingdom. We all would like to be famous. We think that we are better than we are, and we feel underestimated. It is amazing what people do to get noticed by others, to get more clicks, to appear on the news: go on a diet to lose weight, exercise in the gym to get fit, undergo beauty operations, inject ink under the skin for tattoos, pierce their body parts, dyeing their hair, editing their photos for Instagram.

Jesus answered them with a question: Can you drink the cup that I am going to drink? Can you follow me through the same things I am going to go through? They didn’t know what was going to happen to Jesus. They thought he was going to be a new leader for Israel, who was going to bring honour and glory to the Jews. We know what happened and we know also that he wants us to follow him carrying our own cross. At the end, at Calvary on his right and left hand side were two thieves. For our sins we too have the right to be there. We hope we can follow the path of the good thief.

They answered both at the same time, lifting their heads up, their eyes full of pride: we can! Jesus liked their disposition, their big heart, their ambition. But he wanted to bring them down to reality: it is up to my Father to give away these places. The same happens to us. We think that we can, that if we want, we can follow Jesus. But we have the experience that on our own we can’t; we are falling down over and over again all the time. But with him, everything is possible.

Once Jesus denied the two top spots to the sons of Zebedee, the others got upset with them for trying to jump the queue. Jesus took advantage of this opportunity to give them a lesson: whoever wants to be first, must be last. This is the Christian path. It is not a matter of power and control, but of serving and giving our lives for others. To follow our Master who came not to be served but to serve.

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