Word to the Wise
Wednesday, May 26, 2010 - St. Philip Neri, priest
[1 Peter 1:18-25 and Mark 10:32-45]You know that those who are recognized as rulers over the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones make their authority over them felt. But it shall not be so among you. Rather whoever wishes to be great among you will be your servant; whoever wishes to be first among you will be the slave of all. [Gospel of Mark]
Scripture scholars point out that in the Gospel of Mark, the disciples are often portrayed as just not "getting it!" There are several sections where Jesus makes a statement, the disciples completely misunderstand, and Jesus has to explain things again. Today's gospel gives us a sample of this on a couple of different levels. First, the disciples do not understand why Jesus is set on going to Jerusalem when it is clear that would be dangerous, as he tells them what is going to happen. Second, as if there is complete denial of that prediction of the passion, the sons of Zebedee come forward and ask for preference when the Lord comes into his "glory." The words quoted above are Jesus' response to their request. The story as the Gospel of Mark tells it is designed in such a way that the disciples will not understand who Jesus truly is until his resurrection from the dead. Putting ourselves in their sandals, we could be sympathetic to their plight. But we are not in their sandals. We have the benefit of 2,000 years of reflection on the gospels. Why is it, then, that power and the desire for it are such terrible temptations that people will do incredibly destructive things to get it? In today's gospel, there is the all too common action of back stage maneuvering, which results in the envious reaction of the other ten apostles! Today's gospel offers us the opportunity to look at the role of "power" in our lives and how we exercise it when it comes our way. We might be surprised by what we discover in ourselves before we try to look at others! AMEN
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