Lectio Divina: Day 2

1) Opening prayer

Lord, be merciful to Your people. Fill us with Your gifts and make us always eager to serve You in faith, hope and love. You live and reign with the Father and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

2) Gospel Reading - Matthew 20:20-28

The mother of the sons of Zebedee approached Jesus with her sons and did him homage, wishing to ask him for something. He said to her, "What do you wish?" She answered him, "Command that these two sons of mine sit, one at your right and the other at your left, in your Kingdom." Jesus said in reply, "You do not know what you are asking. Can you drink the chalice that I am going to drink?" They said to him, "We can." He replied, "My chalice you will indeed drink, but to sit at my right and at my left, this is not mine to give but is for those for whom it has been prepared by my Father." When the ten heard this, they became indignant at the two brothers. But Jesus summoned them and said, "You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and the great ones make their authority over them felt. But it shall not be so among you. Rather, whoever wishes to be great among you shall be your servant; whoever wishes to be first among you shall be your slave. Just so, the Son of Man did not come to be served but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many."

3) Reflection - What the Word suggests to me

A) Read the Word again.

B) Select a word or a brief phrase which moved you or impressed you. Repeat this word/phrase aloud and slowly 3 times. Between each repetition, allow a moment of silence for the Word to enter into our hearts.

C) Remain silent for 3 minutes, and let the Lord speak to you.

D) Now write down what the Lord has given you in this word. Start with, “To me this word has said …”

4) Personal questions

• James and John ask for favours. Jesus promises suffering. What do I seek in my relationship with God and what do I ask for in prayer? How do I accept the suffering that comes in my life and which is the opposite of what we ask in prayer?
• Jesus says, “May it not be like that among you!” Is our way of living in the Church and in the community in accord with Jesus' advice?
• “Whoever wishes to be great among you shall be your servant.” In this world, as a boss, supervisor, department head, CEO, manager, or customer, how does “being great” differ from this? Is it possible to be great as Jesus asks and be great as the world understands it?

5) Concluding Prayer

Then the nations kept saying, “What great deeds Yahweh has done for them!” Yes, Yahweh did great deeds for us, and we were overjoyed. (Ps 126:2-3)