Holy Monday
Sons of Thunder
16 So he appointed the twelve:[a] Simon (to whom he gave the name
Peter); 17 James son of Zebedee and John the brother of James
(to whom he gave the name Boanerges, that is, Sons of Thunder)
I imagine that you do not get the nickname ‘sons of
thunder’ for being calm and passive. They did want to call down fire on a
village simply for not wanting to welcome Jesus and wanted to sit on thrones
next to Jesus when the kingdom came.
James was the first martyr from amongst the Apostles
and John was arguably one of the earliest churches greatest theologians and
poets.
For the sons of thunder there is truth in the adage
that it is not where you begin, but where you finish.
Biblical Text – Mark 10: 35-40
35 James and
John, the sons of Zebedee, came forward to him and said to him, ‘Teacher, we
want you to do for us whatever we ask of you.’ 36 And he said
to them, ‘What is it you want me to do for you?’ 37 And they
said to him, ‘Grant us to sit, one at your right hand and one at your left, in
your glory.’ 38 But Jesus said to them, ‘You do not know what
you are asking. Are you able to drink the cup that I drink, or be baptized with
the baptism that I am baptized with?’ 39 They replied, ‘We are
able.’ Then Jesus said to them, ‘The cup that I drink you will drink; and with
the baptism with which I am baptized, you will be baptized; 40 but
to sit at my right hand or at my left is not mine to grant, but it is for those
for whom it has been prepared.’
Questions
1. What is it that James and John are asking
for?
2. What do you Jesus means by the baptism he
will be baptised with?
3. If you had a nickname what would it be?
And would your faith challenge it?
Reflection
for Holy Monday
I
am anointed, but it is a secret,
Anointed
openly by water and fire
visible
to those who were able to see
I
am anointed, but no
not
a political animal or zealous priest
nor
a soothsaying prophet nor a dreamer of dreams
I
am anointed, free to be.
I
am anointed to hang on that tree
©
Kevin Ellis
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