Today’s Gospel reading is pretty sobering. Jesus and the disciples are going up to Jerusalem and Jesus wants to prepare them for what lies ahead for him as well as for them. 

Then the focus of the Gospel shifts as the mother of sons of Zebedee comes up to Jesus. She has a favour she desires and Jesus asks her what she wants. The woman is bold both in her behaviour and her request  because  she  wants her sons to sit with Jesus in His kingdom, one at His right hand and the other at His left.
The other apostles also were with Jesus during this encounter.  Notice: initially Jesus does not directly answer her question. Rather, he speaks of the difficult path that was before Him. Then He tells the woman that it is not his place to name the people who would be on His right and His left. It will be His Father who will make that decision.
When the other disciples heard of this request, they were angry and indignant at the way Zebedee’s wife had asked for on behalf of her sons. Jesus used this occasion to teach His disciples. He calls all of them together and told them not to lord their call and authority over anyone. Rather, their primary focus should be on serving each other and the people they would be ministering to. Jesus wanted them to have the right motivation for their ministry. It was not to be about power and acclaim. Their ministry was to preach His word and to serve the people.
Motivations can be tricky. We can fool ourselves into believing that we are doing something good for another, when the reality is we also might receive a payoff. It might be simply a word of thanks or receiving a favour in return, or we simply might feel righteous and good about how well we served another.

Hopefully, our service flows simply from our desire to care for and help another. True service is not about power or acclaim. If our service or help to another flows from our love and our desire to help them, God also is there! Today what will we choose?

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