Daily Readings - Wed Feb 28 2018

First Reading - Jeremiah 18.18-20

¹⁸And they said: "Come, and let us devise a plan against Jeremiah. For the law will not perish from the priest, nor counsel from the wise, nor a sermon from the prophet. Come, and let us strike him with the tongue, and let us pay no attention to any of his words.¹⁹Attend to me, O Lord, and hear the voice of my adversaries²⁰Should evil be rendered for good? For they have dug a pit for my soul! Remember that I have stood in your sight, so as to speak on their behalf for good, and to avert your indignation from them

Gospel - Matthew 20.17-28

Matthew

Chapter 20

¹⁷And Jesus, ascending to Jerusalem, took the twelve disciples aside in private and said to them¹⁸"Behold, we are ascending to Jerusalem, and the Son of man shall be handed over to the leaders of the priests and to the scribes. And they shall condemn him to death¹⁹And they shall hand him over to the Gentiles to be mocked and scourged and crucified. And on the third day, he shall rise again.²⁰Then the mother of the sons of Zebedee approached him, with her sons, adoring him, and petitioning something from him²¹And he said to her, "What do you want?" She said to him, "Declare that these, my two sons, may sit, one at your right hand, and the other at your left, in your kingdom.²²But Jesus, responding, said: "You do not know what you are asking. Are you able to drink from the chalice, from which I will drink?" They said to him, "We are able.²³He said to them: "From my chalice, indeed, you shall drink. But to sit at my right or my left is not mine to give to you, but it is for those for whom it has been prepared by my Father.²⁴And the ten, upon hearing this, became indignant with the two brothers²⁵But Jesus called them to himself and said: "You know that the first ones among the Gentiles are their rulers, and that those who are greater exercise power among them²⁶It shall not be this way among you. But whoever will want to be greater among you, let him be your minister²⁷And whoever will want to be first among you, he shall be your servant²⁸even as the Son of man has not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a redemption for many.

Sermon

Today’s readings guide us through themes of suffering and service, inviting us to reflect on our faith journey. In the first reading, Jeremiah faces opposition for his prophetic messages. The people plot against him, seeking to silence his voice. Despite this, Jeremiah remains faithful, trusting in God’s justice and continuing to speak on behalf of the people, even when they turn against him. His situation reminds us that standing up for what is right can lead to persecution, but our trust in God’s plan should sustain us. In the Gospel, Jesus predicts his Passion, revealing that true leadership is about service and sacrifice. When the mother of James and John asks for positions of honor, Jesus uses the opportunity to teach the disciples about humility. He explains that greatness is not about power but about serving others. This lesson is reinforced by Jesus’ own mission, where he gives his life as a ransom for many. The disciples’ indignation at the request highlights the contrast between worldly ambition and the selfless love Jesus exemplifies. These readings remind us that our faith calls us to embrace humility and service. Like Jeremiah, we may face challenges for our beliefs, but trusting in God’s plan gives us strength. Like the disciples, we are called to reorient our ambitions, understanding that true greatness lies in serving others. Let us strive to follow Jesus’ example, living lives of humble service and trusting in God’s providence, even in the face of adversity.