Today's Readings bring up the well-worn lust for power and honour. Mark in his gospel tells us of James and John, jockeying for privileged positions in the Kingdom. Jesus has just delivered the third prediction of His Passion, yet they show that they have not understood any of it. When asked if they were willing to share in His Baptism and His cup, they accept readily, not realising that He was speaking of His sufferings. The other ten disciples, annoyed at their intemperate grabbing of power, show that they too did not understand, so that Jesus has to give them another lesson on service, slavery, and possibly death.

Jesus has to show them that greatness in the Kingdom of God does not consist of power, privilege and precedence, all of which do not last. They do not give meaning to life. They have to think in terms of service, suffering and self-sacrifice if they are to be the many who would be ransomed and brought to God. He puts his approaching Passion and death in this context.

This lesson of Jesus applies to us all, for this worldly ambition and competitiveness, this anxiety to climb the pole of power, exists at every level, from the people in high office in Church or State to the people doing voluntary work for charities.