4 March 2026 – Wednesday of the Second Week of Lent
Jeremiah 18:18-20; Matthew 20:17-28
Homily
We are barely halfway through the second week of Lent, and already the shadow of the cross, but also the light of the resurrection, are looming on the horizon. Jesus begins his long journey to Jerusalem, which will lead Him to Calvary, and He starts to prepare the Twelve for these tragic events, but they do not understand. They expect that, in one way or another, Jesus will establish an earthly kingdom, and each one thinks about the place he will have in this new political universe. The two sons of Zebedee call on their ‘mother’ to obtain good positions in Jesus' government. Jesus takes this opportunity to give everyone, once again, a lesson on the meaning of authority conceived as service and not as power.
In this text from Jesus, we find the same distinction between authority and power that we have seen in several liturgical texts in recent weeks, particularly in yesterday's Gospel concerning the attitude of the Scribes and Pharisees. Here, Jesus compares the ‘leaders’ or ‘great ones’ of the nations with those who want to be ‘great’ in the kingdom of heaven. The great ones of the nations, says Jesus, hold them under their power and domination. ‘It shall not be so among you,’ says Jesus. In any human group, including a religious community, there are a thousand and one ways to try to exercise power over others, regardless of whether or not we have responsibility or authority. This is a universal human temptation.
Jesus finds it legitimate for someone to want to be ‘great’ or even “first”, but on one condition. ‘If anyone wants to be great among you,’ he says, ‘let him be your servant, and if anyone wants to be first among you, let him be your slave.’ Every authentic Christian community is based on the notion—or rather the reality—of service. And the reason for this is very simple. It is that ‘the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.’
Since Lent is a time of conversion, it is an opportunity for each and every one of us to examine our own attitudes in this area. To what extent are we willing to serve? And serving, let us not forget, implies becoming a ‘servant’ to others. Jesus even says ‘slave’. And to what extent is there still in us a need or desire to acquire or retain ‘power’ – perhaps very subtle – over others?
The example of Jesus, like that of Jeremiah (see the first reading), reminds us that total openness to service can involve great suffering. But the first words of the Gospel also remind us that if we follow Jesus to the end on the path of service and undoubtedly also of suffering, we will also follow him on the path of Resurrection.
Armand VEILLEUX