Jesus entered into His kingdom enthroned upon the Cross at Calvary. When King Jesus entered His kingdom, it was not Saints James and John who received the honor of being at His right and His left. Rather, it was two thieves between whom Jesus was crucified, "one on His right and the other on His left" (Lk 23:33).
James and John did not know what they were asking when they requested through their mother to be at Jesus' right and left in His kingdom (Mt 20:21). Jesus tried to prepare them by referring to the cup of martyrdom He must drink (Mt 20:22). In St. Mark's Gospel, Jesus refers to the "bath of pain" He was to receive from the cup He would drink (Mk 10:38). All who wish to enter into the kingdom of God must be prepared to drink from Jesus' cup of suffering.
"Let us keep our eyes fixed on Jesus, Who inspires and perfects our faith. For the sake of the joy which lay before Him He endured the cross, heedless of its shame" (Heb 12:2). To enter His Kingdom, we will be always carrying "about in our bodies the dying of Jesus, so that in our bodies the life of Jesus may also be revealed. While we live we are constantly being delivered to death for Jesus' sake, so that the life of Jesus may be revealed in our mortal flesh" (2 Cor 4:10-11). Jesus wants us to be in communion with Him, to serve as He served (Mt 20:28). With St. James, let us die with Christ so as to reign with Him (2 Tm 2:11-12).
| PRAYER: | Father, give me the boldness and zeal of St. James, so that I may follow Jesus everywhere He leads me. |
| PROMISE: | "Indeed, everything is ordered to your benefit." –2 Cor 4:15 |
| PRAISE: | St. James responded to Jesus' call by immediately leaving his family business to follow "in [Jesus'] company" (Mk 1:20). |
Reprinted with permission from Presentation Ministries, a lay association of the Catholic Church that focuses on evangelization and discipleship through Bible teaching, daily Mass, the charisms of the Holy Spirit, and Small Christian Community. Their ministries include:
· One Bread, One Body
· Daily Bread Radio Program
· Annual Bible Institute
· Discipleship Retreats
· Guadalupe Bible College