In today’s Gospel, the mother of the sons of Zebedee (James and John) asked Jesus that her sons be given seats of honor at Jesus’ right and left in the Kingdom. This is a breathtakingly audacious request. And it does not come from James and John. It comes through their mother. Perhaps we could say that the concept of a helicopter parent has biblical origins.
Notice that Jesus does not address his reply to their mother. Instead, he responds to James and John directly. Jesus, even in his human nature, could read people and their thoughts in ways that we cannot. He knew from where the request had come originally, and he engaged directly with that source.
While two grown men having their mother lobbying Jesus for honors for them is a problem, the bigger problem on which Jesus focuses is the desire for this honor in the first place. To be an Apostle is to be a leader, yes. It is to be one of the first leaders of Christ’s Church. But this leadership is in service to the people. The proper mindset is not one of a king, but one of a servant. The goal is not to gain honor for oneself. The goal is to gain eternal life for others by cooperating with the Holy Spirit.
Priests must avoid falling into the trap of clericalism. It can be easy to allow the people to give honors to their priest as they show their devotion to the Church and to her priesthood. While their devotion is not a bad thing, the priest must always remember that he is a servant to the people. Their success in following the path of Christ is what is most important, not the priest’s own success in fulfilling his agenda.
At the same time, this trap exists for lay leaders too. Building a resume of accomplishments in lay apostolates is not the purpose of such apostolates. Serving other people and helping them grow closer to Christ is the reason such apostolates even exist. And such service is done by discerning and following the will of God.
Have there been times in my work within the Church when I have been guilty of focusing on my accomplishments rather than on service of the people according to the will of God? Am I willing to set aside my own ambitions to focus on the salvation of others?