On his way to Jerusalem, the mother of James and John requested that her sons be given places of honor when Christ comes into his kingdom, one on his right, one on his left. Jesus looked at the two disciples and put forth his own question; “Are you able to drink the cup that I am to drink?” Jesus knew the cup he was given by his Father meant he would suffer and die for the sake of God’s people. The cup he is to drink is the cup of God’s salvation, a cup that comes at the cost of pouring out his life.
Jesus asks, “Are you able to drink the cup?” In Faith we would answer “Yes, but how?” Jesus gives clear instructions; deny yourself and take up your cross. Drinking the cup our Lord Jesus would give means putting the needs of our neighbor above our own. It means coming alongside them in their time of suffering, as they endure hardship, or feel lost and neglected. Drinking the cup means having faith that God will equip us to do these things not expecting anything in return.
The one who humbles himself in this way, says our Lord, will be among the greatest in heaven (Mt. 18:4). This is truly a place of honor. Are you able to drink the cup? With God’s help, yes you can.
Prayer: O Lord, give us the strength and the will to drink your cup, that we may follow Jesus’s example of love and compassion for the sake of others. Amen.
In the Beginning 