Word to the Wise
Wednesday, March 7, 2007 - Wednesday of the Second Week of Lent
[Jeremiah18:18-20 and ]My chalice you will indeed drink, but to sit at my right and at my left, this is not mine to give but is for those for whom it has been prepared by my Father.
On those occasions, which are a part of my vocation as a priest, where I attend a "rubber chicken banquet" (or whatever they serve), one of the more exquisite forms of torture is to be placed at one of those "head tables" that are up on a platform in front of all the other diners. Of course, WHERE you sit is supposed to be an indicator of your importance to the occasion. Since I am most of the time at one end or the other, I suppose that means that my function is to persuade God to bless the occasion, the participants and the rubber chicken and then keep company with whoever is sitting beside me, even though we can't really face one another. I also must make sure I show rapt attention to all that is said at the podium! For the life of me, I can't understand why James and John were interested in sitting on either side of Jesus in the "kingdom", but I am assured by such scholars as John Pilch in his very helpful books on the cultural world of Jesus that those places were highly indicative of one's importance to the one in the middle and consequently meant considerable power and prestige. Needless to say, there is irony in the fact that this story is placed after a prediction of the passion. Wouldn't they know better? Are they in denial? Jesus' response is to assure them that they will share his fate but there is no "power pie" in the kingdom. To add to the comedy, the other ten are "indignant at the two brothers." I doubt it was out of highmindedness since Jesus calls all twelve in for a blunt "chalk talk." He notes how among the Gentiles "the great ones make their authority over them felt." This probably applied as well to the scribes and Pharisees and Sadducees! Any authority in the kingdom is simply a byproduct of service to all. It may mean being "mocked, scourged and crucified." It may be a minor agony to sit at the head table at an interminable awards banquet, but it can be a major agony to distinguish oneself by service since the ones who are served have been known to turn on the server in a flash! That is precisely what Jesus is predicting. No wonder he says to James and John, "You do not know what you are asking!" Power and prestige are "heady" things. It is difficult to resist them. Reading today's gospel may give us some additional motivation for resistance and for service! AMEN
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