Monday, July 24, 2006
Feast, St. James, apostle
July 25, 2006
Feast, St. James, apostle
Tuesday 16th Week in Ordinary Time - Yr II
2 CORINTHIANS 4:7-15
But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this
all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. We are hard pressed
on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair;
persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed. We
always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of
Jesus may also be revealed in our body. For we who are alive are always
being given over to death for Jesus' sake, so that his life may be
revealed in our mortal body. So then, death is at work in us, but life
is at work in you. It is written: "I believed; therefore I have
spoken." With that same spirit of faith we also believe and therefore
speak, because we know that the one who raised the Lord Jesus from the
dead will also raise us with Jesus and present us with you in his
presence. All this is for your benefit, so that the grace that is
reaching more and more people may cause thanksgiving to overflow to the
glory of God.
MATTHEW 20:20-28
Then the mother of Zebedee's sons came to Jesus with her sons and,
kneeling down, asked a favor of him. "What is it you want?" he asked.
She said, "Grant that one of these two sons of mine may sit at your
right and the other at your left in your kingdom." "You don't know what
you are asking," Jesus said to them. "Can you drink the cup I am going
to drink?" "We can," they answered. Jesus said to them, "You will
indeed drink from my cup, but to sit at my right or left is not for me
to grant. These places belong to those for whom they have been prepared
by my Father." When the ten heard about this, they were indignant with
the two brothers. Jesus called them together and said, "You know that
the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials
exercise authority over them. Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants
to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be
first must be your slave-- just as the Son of Man did not come to be
served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many."
REFLECTION
Today is the feast of St. James, brother of John, one of Zebedee's
sons. He was present at the Transfiguration and most of Jesus'
miracles. He was the first disciple to be martyred, around the year 42.
The martyrdom of St. James is significant in light of today's Gospel.
Whereas he was the first of the apostles to be martyred, he was also
one of those who dared to ask Jesus for a special place in the kingdom.
Recall that James and John, accompanied by their mother, approached
Jesus and asked that they be seated on Jesus' right and left when Jesus
reigns in his kingdom. They were asking for places of honor, the best
seats in the house, but Jesus could only ask them in response, "Can you
drink the cup I am going to drink?" James and John answered in the
affirmative, and indeed, like Jesus, James died for his faith.
There is something in us that wants to be given importance. We feel
good when we are praised or affirmed, and rightly so. But sometimes we
start doing things for the sake of being praised. While this is a very
human impulse, Jesus turns the table on us and says that "anyone who
wants to be great among you must be your servant, and anyone who wants
to be first among you must be your slave, just as the Son of Man came
not to be served but to serve...."
Here we have in summary Jesus' radical idea of servant leadership. To
be great is not to be recognized or acknowledged as such, but to be a
humble servant. To be first is not to get ahead of all the others, but
to be their slave. This goes against the wisdom of the world. Even when
we try to be servant leaders, people can still praise us for it, and
that's fine as long as our motivations are clear. Besides, those
moments of praise and adulation do not last. In the end, servant
leadership is a life-style, something we try to do day in and day out,
especially when no one is looking. It is to fulfill our daily duties
and commitments with humility and love, even when we are not
appreciated for it. At times we may even be persecuted or ridiculed for
our commitments. At times we may have to swallow our pride for the sake
of the greater good.
PRAYER REQUESTS
We pray ...
- for a deep and profound respect for life, especially for the unborn.
- for the personal intentions of Mima.
- for the eternal repose of the souls of Alfonso, Alfonsa, Jovita,
Isidora, Maria and Candido. Eternal rest grant unto them and may
perpetual light shine upon them. May they and all the souls of the
dearly departed rest in peace.
- for the eternal repose of the soul of Elizabeth Campanaro.
Eternal rest grant unto her and may perpetual light shine upon her.
May she and all the souls of the dearly departed rest in peace.
- for the continued and complete healing of Ding Vidanes and her
mother.
- for the speedy recovery of Lourdes Barayoga
- for the speedy recovery of Glenn Bisco
- for the speedy recovery of Charlies Castro
- for the speedy recovery of Vanessa Salcedo
- for the personal intentions and speedy recovery of Sandra & Pat
Vergara
- for the personal intentions of Pat and Linda Manzon.
- for the personal intentions of Domingo Barayoga, Jr.
- for the personal intentions of Glenn and Julie Manzon
- for the personal intentions of Estellita and Buddy
- for the personal intentions of Ma. Fe & Tootsie De Castro
- for the personal intentions of Glenda & Joel Bisco
- for the personal intentions of Churchill & Echo Barayoga
- for the personal intentions of Mary Ann and Charlie Castro
- for the eternal repose of the souls of Domingo Barayoga Sr.
Eternal rest grant unto them and may perpetual light shine upon
them. May they and all the souls of the dearly departed rest in peace.
- for all the prayer intentions in the MTQ Dailyprayer Diary.
- for world peace and reconciliation.
Finally, we pray for one another, for those who have asked our
prayers and for those who need our prayers the most.
Have a good day!
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