Mark 10:35-45
Proper 24 (29) - Year B
It is very easy to pooh-pooh the Zebedee boys for their ambition. It is much more difficult for us to recognize the power, authority, position, rank we have settled for.
James and John wanted to get ahead of everyone. We settle for being ahead of at least one.
The other disciples were angry at the brothers J. I suspect that I would have been, too. They show me up and cause me to reflect on how petty my power is. If only they hadn't raised this larger question I could have proceeded along as though all were right with the world and I wouldn't have to consider my so-called life and how I wield my privilege in the small pond of my circumstance.
Jesus, speaking to the extravagant (J & J) and mundane (deca-oblivoids), purveyors of advantages and disadvantages, reminds both the assertive and passive desirers of benefits and perquisites that this is not the lesson to be learned.
And we are still trying to pass the test on this particular lesson. Left and right, liberal and conservative, progressive and orthodox seem to be genetically descended from both James/John and the rest. Keep praying. Keep practicing.
http://www.kairoscomotion.org/lectionary/2003/october2003.html
Job is berated for not knowing that which came before humankind (Genesis 1 version) or for not having paid attention to what came after humankind (Genesis 2 version). Unfortunately to berate that made in one's image is to recognize one's own limitation. G*D simply has no adequate response to the reality stated in Isaiah, "It was the willingness of the Lord to crush with pain." There is no amount of fancy dancing and holy intimidation that will get G*D off the hook.
Likewise is it in community. There is nothing that will get James and John off the hook of looking for an inappropriate edge -- we will trap Jesus from the inside, he can't refuse our request; a Pharisee's trapping request, perhaps, but not ours.
Both G*D and the disciples need to hear again, "It is not to be so among us. Whomever desires honor must live it, day in and day out."
- - -
yea, we are able
affirms our affirmation
that we are images
able to imitate
that which we imagine
http://kcmlection.blogspot.com/2007_10_01_archive.html
"Heads I win; tails you lose." So we desire it when we express our desires to G*D, whether directly or through some intermediary such as Jesus (the desire is not his to grant).
James and John are thinking about some future glory; Jesus is all about present doxa (challenging what seems to be accepted belief and promoting the glory and good of realized eschatology or Crossan's sapiential eschatology [A difference between John the Baptist and Jesus can be summarized in this way, according to Crossan: "In apocalyptic eschatology, we are waiting for God to act. In sapiential eschatology, God is waiting for us to act."]{what a nested interlude this turned out to be}).
The issue presented to us is whether we are with G*D, or not. Positioning is not relevant - whether right or left or before or behind or above or below or within or beyond.
If we are with G*D we will be with one another and all of creation. The question of special privilege is spurious.
What it comes down to is heads we all win; tails no one loses. We're pulling for you.
http://kcmlection.blogspot.com/2009_10_01_archive.html