“My cup you will drink.” This chalice overflowing with love also includes the need to share in suffering, but suffering is not the goal. Paraphrasing St. Paul, “Jesus is in our body, manifested in our mortal flesh.” I do not doubt that we are containers for God to become visible. God desires our hearts to fill abundantly with the grace of the Spirit, Jesus, and the Father. When we say “we are able” grace and our prayers mingle so that we know and have mercy, compassion, and many virtues. As difficult as it seems to believe, we are chalice-like vessels holding and serving others Jesus’s gifts in this reality. Doing so allows us to participate in the mystery of Christ’s death and resurrection in unique ways.
With Passover Approaching, Jesus Goes Up to Jerusalem by James Tissot
The full-resolution painting and more details are available on the Brooklyn Museum website.
Matthew 20:17-32 – Scripture*
A Third Time Jesus Foretells His Death and Resurrection
17 While Jesus was going up to Jerusalem, he took the twelve disciples aside by themselves, and said to them on the way, 18 “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; 19 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.”
The Request of the Mother of James and John
20 Then the mother of the sons of Zebedee came to him with her sons, and kneeling before him, she asked a favor of him. 21 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.” 22 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.” 23 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.”
24 When the ten heard it, they were angry with the two brothers. 25 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. 26 It will not be so among you; but whoever wishes to be great among you must be your servant, 27 and whoever wishes to be first among you must be your slave; 28 just as the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life a ransom for many.”
Additional Thoughts
Thank you for meditating on this Gospel and reading this Lectio Divina on Matthew 20:17-28 Reflection – My Cup You Will Drink.
Would you like to contribute related thoughts to these Lectio reflections on the Gospel readings? Since Lectio is not the only contemplative prayer style, others might appreciate these types of expressions in this ministry. Do you see God’s grandeur everywhere and unconditionally enjoy sharing the love of Christ that you have inside? Are you willing to be anonymous in what you would share? If so, email me.
Prayer for young families:
Lord, let the young families of our communities get to know your joy, peace, comfort, and love despite worldly distractions.
Attributions
*This site has permission to use the New Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition (NRSVCE) Bible Matthew 20 Bible passage.
The Immersive Prayer website follows the guidelines for image web use at the Brooklyn Museum and the Jewish Museum websites.
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