Let us imagine the opening scene: the disciples were ON THE WAY (to Jerusalem), FRIGHTENED and AFRAID.

 

Let us imagine the opening scene: the disciples were ON THE WAY (to Jerusalem), FRIGHTENED and AFRAID. On the other hand, Jesus is determined, He knows what will happen to Him, it will not be easy at all, it is an imminent tragedy, but also a universal judgment, the possibility of man seeing his own misery. Those who are close to Jesus begin to feel very strong adverse reactions, they do not know what to do, dreams fade, hope becomes dormant, darkness takes over their thoughts, their minds become dark and uncertainty becomes a companion. In this situation, Jesus makes the third announcement of His death and resurrection. Ahead of His disciples, determined, aware of His surrender and of who would kill Him, He sets off for the center of the Jewish faith, He goes to the heart of Jerusalem. Jesus does not soften His speech, even though His disciples are in almost extreme agony: “… the Son of Man will be delivered over to the chief priests and the scribes, who will condemn Him to death and will hand Him over to the Gentiles; and they will mock him and spit on him and flog him and kill him; but after three days he will rise again.” This catechetical passage from Mark teaches the value of sparing no effort to live the Christian reality; it explains why Christians are persecuted; it encourages those who are already disciples not to lose heart and to follow the path of salvation resolutely; and, at the same time, it prepares his community for the decisive encounter with the Resurrected One, with the victorious one.

2. Mark inserts a fact that is certainly historical about the audacity of the sons of Zebedee (John and James), who expressed the desire to be the first ministers of Jesus, to sit at his right hand, having the first places in the Kingdom. In the midst of a discourse on death, such a question presented seriously indicates a mentality completely distant from God’s plan in Jesus Christ, a reality still involved with the way of thinking of the game of worldly interests, an expressive manifestation of the logic of the powerful, who, precisely because of this, would kill the Savior. This shows how unprepared Jesus’ disciples were for the mission, how fragile those who are with Jesus but are not for Him, that is, turned toward Him, adhering to Him with all their heart and soul, are. It also shows how difficult it is to embrace Christ’s logic, to show solidarity, to make oneself a gift for everyone, because this requires renouncing oneself, one’s own projects and one’s own interests. How difficult it is to let go of worldly bonds! The apostles also suffered from these imprisonments. All the other ten, when they reacted, showed the same type of attachment, worldliness, and fragility in the face of God’s plan. They were also careerists and self-interested, seeking promotions alongside the King. Mark highlights the fragility of the entire group of Apostles. 3. Who can be on Jesus’ side? Whoever is able to take His cup will undergo the same type of baptism and be chosen by the Father. Taking the cup means facing death, the elimination of one’s life from society, being rejected, destroyed, abandoned as one cursed (cf. Ps 75:9; Dt 21:23). This type of punishment was typical of the wicked and unfaithful (cf. Is 51:17), understood as the wrath of God, the judgment of the sin of all nations (cf. Jer 25:15; Ez 23:32-34). What will happen to Jesus? Without a doubt, he will drink this cup to the dregs, showing solidarity with all sinners, taking on their sufferings, and for this very reason becoming execrable, cursed, miserable, excommunicated by those for whom he gave his life. As for the type of baptism, it indicates suffering, tremendous pain, a immersion in painful death (cf. Ps 69:3, 15). This baptism is the clearest manifestation of His solidarity with sinners. He shows solidarity by becoming incarnate, but also by assuming human suffering and death. This reality freely embraced by Jesus must be part of the lives of His disciples, who must act in the same way. John and James responded that they would be willing to go through this, which indicates a total surrender of themselves to the Lord, even though John did not suffer martyrdom like the others. It is therefore up to the disciples to surrender themselves totally to the will of God, to abandon themselves to His fidelity and freedom, to His designs and proposals. 4. “… whoever wants to be first must be the servant of all.” Jesus does not want His disciples to be involved with the mentality of the princes of this world. They are domineering and only want power at any cost. This mentality creates dependents, slaves, poverty, indignity, subversion, enmity, competition, hunger, plagues and wars. They corrupt minds and hearts, stimulate the taste for possessions, power and pleasure, discourage interest in personal investment and in the discovery of the greater good, but on the other hand, they stimulate everything that debases, destroys and leads to the death of people. Disciples must follow another mentality, another way of life, one that fulfills the human being, that shows him and allows him to live his dignity.