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5 min
The Christian family must go to God
The mother of the sons of Zebedee comes before Jesus with her sons. It is a whole family going to Jesus. This approach is good, because our families need to go to Jesus, we need to pray for our families and offer Masses for them, helping them to know God and to receive the sacraments. A sign of love for our spouse, our children, our parents, brothers and sisters is to help them know and love God. In fact, every vocation has as its purpose to help us love God. The family too exists for this purpose. It is true that many people are unaware of this reality. The purpose of the family is to be a reflection of God’s love, to help each member love God. Do I pray with my family? Do we speak to Jesus together?
The ambition for the things of the world
When Jesus sees this family, he asks them a question: ‘what do you want?’ Their answer reveals their ambition: ‘one at your right hand and the other at your left.’ They make a request that means they would be the closest in this kingdom and would thereby possess every advantage, since they would surround the Lord. They had in mind the model of a kingdom according to this world. They had worldly ambitions, believing that Jesus’ kingdom would consist of an earthly royal power. Sometimes in Church communities, in groups, people unfortunately have this idea: some, at the beginning, are there simply to grow in their faith. But afterward, ambition for positions, for power, for possessions enters their hearts like a virus. In this way they corrupt what was at first authentic in them. Ecclesial communities today are undermined by worldly ambitions and by the jockeying for favor. A group that experiences these problems falls apart and no longer meets its spiritual expectations. We are not speaking here of a desire to grow in order to be more effective in one’s field. Nor are we speaking of the ambition to do well at school, or to advance honestly in one’s profession, or even to do good business. Rather, we speak of the ambition to dominate, as the Roman emperors did, who at times even went so far as to have themselves deified. Unhealthy rivalry, the jockeying for favor, and the like destroy the community.
This domineering ambition is not in accord with the message of Jesus, for it brings division. At the founding of many parishes, at the formation of many communities, many parishioners and members worked, serving simply for Jesus. Some gave their possessions; others placed their talents at the service of the community. But afterward, most no longer do so freely. Many have themselves paid for their services, which in fact are no longer a service but a job. Many act like the world’s technicians: they factor the cost of their labor into the purchases, into the materials to be acquired. And indeed the ten other apostles, having overheard the request of the sons of Zebedee, are not pleased with the two brothers. This is the result of that kind of ambition for power in a community: division and anger. Then the work can no longer be done smoothly. Jesus corrects them all and tells them the conduct he would want everyone to have. The normal conduct in the life of a good community. ‘I did not come to be served but to serve.’ This is the orientation of the Christian’s normal conduct. Of the one who seeks to dominate, to be served, to gain, Jesus says that he is a hired hand (Jn 10:10). He is not a good shepherd. Pope Francis warns against ambition in the Church. The good shepherd lays down his life for his sheep. The one in charge will therefore be very careful about the pursuit of gain, which sometimes undermines commitment.
People sometimes ask themselves: what do I get out of this? What will it earn me? I rather have the impression of losing out. Especially when we notice that those who are with us in the same community, in the same parish, who are our own age or of the same level of schooling, are getting ahead well in their social or economic life. If we are not careful, we risk having already received our reward. ‘The Son of Man came to give his life as a ransom for the many.’ ‘If anyone wishes to be first, let him be last.’ At the beginning of the Church, people were fascinated by the conduct of the Christians: by their service and their love. Is my service given freely? Is my life a true gift to Jesus? What can I do to perfect this gift? ‘Whoever wishes to be first, let him be last.’ I did not come to be served, but to serve. ‘You received freely; give freely.’
Henri Bayemi
