James and John came to Jesus with a very odd request. “Teacher, we want you to do for us whatever we ask of you” (10:35). No one had ever approached Jesus with a similar request. Jairus came to Jesus pleading that he would cure his daughter. (5:23). A woman with a hemorrhage, hoping to touch Jesus’ clothing, did not even dare to utter her request. (5:28). A Syrophoenician woman begged Jesus to drive a demon from her daughter (7:26). Others begged Jesus to lay his hand on a deaf man (7:32). The disciples, including James and John, came to Jesus seeking information or an explanation (9:11, 29, 10:17).
In every other case, people approached Jesus modestly as one did a respected teacher. No one had ever demanded anything of Jesus, let alone without indicating what was being demanded. Testing the limits of what Jesus was willing to do for them, James and John demanded Jesus give them whatever they would ask.
Jesus answered with a question: “What do you wish me to do for you?” He would address the same question to Bartimaeus, the blind beggar of Jericho (10:51). Unlike James and John, however, Bartimaeus approached Jesus very humbly, appealing to his generosity. “Jesus, Son of David, have pity on me.” Bartimaeus asked Jesus to be merciful to him. James and John tried to get from Jesus what they wanted: glory and fame.
On the cross, Jesus proves that he is powerful beyond measure, not by doing some spectacular physical act that leaves everyone around him helpless to make any protest, but in a spectacular act of the heart wherein he forgives those who are mocking and killing him. Divine kingship is manifest in forgiveness, not in muscle.
Jesus defines glory very differently than we do. Real glory, for him, is not the glory of winning a gold medal, of being a champion, of winning an Oscar, or of being an object of envy because of our achievements. Glory consists in being deep in compassion, forgiveness, and graciousness.
Our secret dream of glory is meant to mature so that eventually we will begin, more and more, to envision ourselves as standing out, not by talents, looks, muscles and speed --- but by the depth of our compassion and the quality of our forgiveness.
God bless! Have a wonderful week!