We have been on the way with Jesus in his journey to Jerusalem. He revealed to us who he is, enquired about what we think about him, taught us how to be a disciple. He also told us that he had to suffer. Now as nearing Jerusalem, he is clearer how he is going to suffer and die. “Now we are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of man is about to be handed over to the chief priests and the scribes. They will condemn him to death and will hand him over to the gentiles, who will mock him and spit at him and scourge him and put him to death; and after three days he will rise again” (Mk 10:33, 34).
As happened at the time of the previous predictions, here too there is a misunderstanding. As nearing Jerusalem, perhaps, the disciples expect the reestablishment of Israel and the Messiah being seated at the throne of David. James and John come forward asking for privileged positions in the kingdom.
In his reply to the disciples, we can feel the tender and gentle heart of Jesus in teaching them the depth of discipleship. Jesus speaks of the very purpose and meaning of his life as a life not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many (Mk 10: 45). He knew very well how authority and power can become an exploitative system. Abusive use of authority blind us against the reality of people, history and culture. We will turn deaf to the voice of God and cry of humanity. When Jesus says, “among you this is not to happen,” it is his desire about the quality of disciples, his vision of the Church and the nature of the kingdom of God. “You know that among the gentiles those they call their rulers lord it over them, and their great men make their authority felt (Mk 10: 43).
Journey further is rather difficult. “Can you drink the cup that I must drink?” Jesus asks each of us. It is even difficult and dangerous to walk with him. God chose to be a friend, and servant to the least in the society. Freedom, power and blessings were the privileges of the few. Jesus exercised his power to raise others to the dignity of the children of God. The suffering and humiliation Jesus underwent was unavoidable from the day he proclaimed liberty to captives and the year of the Lord’s favour. Like the master, every disciple is called to make all share the joy of the kingdom of God. It demands that we forgo our tendencies to be a little ruler in the way we can. The more we come near to the sacrificial self-emptying the deeper is the challenge to discard the power to rule, command and control.
“Can you drink the cup that I must drink?” Jesus asks. If we say, yes, we need to first remind ourselves that our life is not for preserving for itself but to be given for the life of many. Then, concerning others “I” must be a servant of all. About our purpose and meaning “I” must be a life giving sacrifice in my life, prayer, work, decisions. This cup gently discourages us from our imaginations of the royal rule of Christendom. “Among you this is not to happen” also invites us to erase many military terminologies like war, weapon, attack, crusade… from our expressions of spirituality and faith. Even unknowingly such symbolism should not dictate a style of belief which Jesus never imagined.
The cup that Jesus had to drink was not simply that of physical or mental suffering. It was at the challenge of abandoning himself to be the life giving sacrifice in his living, speaking, and in dying. The self-emptying was there when he embraced the excluded and the neglected. Healing, raising and even challenging involved an emptying of self, giving of life. Cross itself is an outcome of his generous love. His suffering would merely be an injury inflicted by an unjust system. But offering of his life to give life for many turns his mental and physical injuries into wine and oil of healing, care, comfort and accompaniment.
“Can you drink the cup that I must drink?”
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