October 17, 2021

29^TH Sunday in Ordinary Time The Christian Condition for Ambition

Msgr. Thomas Gervasio

In last week’s Gospel a rich young man approached the Lord with a question.  His wealth caused him to go away sad.  In today’s Gospel, two rather brash apostles, James, and John, approach Our Lord with a request.  They seek privileged places of honor in the Kingdom, a request that does not go over well with the other apostles.  

In St. Matthew’s account of this event, it’s the mother of James and John who approaches the Lord.  A case of a mom, “looking out” for her boys, perhaps?   Or is it that they put their mother up to it knowing it was a request they would be too embarrassed to make? Whatever the case, they did not understand what they were asking.   The Lord realizes they do not grasp the purpose of his mission and the meaning of discipleship.  

This prompts Our Lord to teach his apostles and us about the meaning of ambition.  Just as wealth is not sinful in itself, so too, ambition, power, leadership  are not evil in themselves.  The desire and drive to successful is  admirable.  But our Lord would have us approach ambition with a different set of values.  Do you want to be first?  Do you seek after a position of influence and power?  Do you wish to be a leader?  These are worthy aspirations to be sure, but a disciple must understand that the standard of honor, greatness and leadership is different than the world’s notion. We might say that for a Christian, ambition has a condition, and the Lord expresses by the question he poses to James and John and to you and me:   Can you drink the cup that I drink or be baptized with the baptism with which I am baptized?   

The cup and the baptism are metaphors of what Our Lord would endure in his passion and death.  Immediately prior to this scene, Jesus spoke to the apostles about  going up to Jerusalem where he would be handed over to be mocked, spit upon, scourged, and put to death.  Remember that in his agony in Gethsemane, Jesus prayed, “Father, let this cup pass from me, but not my will but yours be done.”   Honor, power, authority involve a share in the cross.  We say of Jesus—Regnavit a ligno Deus” (God reigns from the tree).  Our Lord reminded his apostles that he came not to be served but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many.”   He invites the apostles and us to embrace the paradox that the first must be last and the greatest must be the least.  Power and authority should not be at  the expense of others but for the benefit of others.  

Don’t we see this often enough in our families?  Think of the many spouses, parents, and those who are caregivers for their elderly parents, who must so often say “no” to their own desires for the sake of their children and loved ones. These sacrifices reflect the standard of the Gospel.  In light of this Gospel, we might make this prayer our own:

Gracious Lord,

It seems that every voice tells us  to pursue greatness

and journey towards success, but along the way,

we find that our definition of success differs from Yours.

Jesus, infuse in our hearts healthy ambition

for we have not always prioritized ambition rightly.
Grant us ambition to become more like You

who washed the feet of your disciples.

Give us the ambition to serve others.

Renew our hearts and minds

with Your definition of greatness.

Replace any unhealthy ambition

with the truth of the Gospel.

Help us remember that our honor and privilege

comes from knowing You,

not from personal accomplishments.

Thank You for the patience You offer us

as we strive to be disciples worthy of your majesty.