Ordinary Time
Pray a breath prayer, silently repeating the following phrases from Psalm 46 with each deep breath. (Repeat for as long as you like, but aim for at least 4-5 times.)
Breathe in: âBe still and knowâ
Breathe out: âthat I am God.â
Jesus replied, âYou donât know what youâre asking! Can you drink the cup I drink or receive the baptism I receive?â
âWe can,â they answered.
Jesus said, âYou will drink the cup I drink and receive the baptism I receive, but to sit at my right or left hand isnât mine to give. It belongs to those for whom it has been prepared.â
Mark 10:38-40
Just before the verses we read today, James and John have asked Jesus to let them sit at his right and left hand. At that time, the closer someone sat to a king or other ruler, the more important they were considered to be. And still today, a personâs âright-hand manâ (or woman) is someone they work very closely with.
Maybe James and John, knowing that Jesusâs death was coming, just wanted to make sure they were as important to Jesus as Jesus was to them. But instead of âYes! Absolutely!,â Jesus basically says, âAre you sure?,â followed by, âItâs not my decision to make.â
Maybe Jesus knew they still had some growing to do. Later, when Jesus is getting arrested, all the disciples run away, despite all the time they had spent learning and serving alongside him. Joining Jesus in making the world a more just and loving place isnât always comfortable or easy. And we donât always get clear answers when or how weâd like. Even so, we donât have to find our way forward alone.
Allison Wehrung
Question to Ponder:
What is something, big or little, that you want to work on in your faith life?
God of growth, I am a work in progress, still learning what it means to follow you. Sometimes I bite off more than I can chew, and other times I donât challenge myself as much as I could. Deepen my faith in you, so I can do my best to follow your example. Amen.
God be the love to search and keep me
God be the prayer to move my voice
God be the strength to now uphold me
O Christ, surround me
O Christ, surround me
Richard Bruxvoort Colligan, âO Christ, Surround Meâ