Fr Paul reads from the Gospel of Matthew (20: 17-28) in which Jesus says, ‘Son of Man came not to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many’.

The Gospel we hear today, Fr Paul says, gives us the third of the great prophecies about the Passion. Then we hear the mother of Zebedee’s sons putting her request to Jesus and it is obvious she has not listened to the words of Jesus in relation to what his fate is.  This leads into the passage that underlines that the only dignity in the Christian church is service.  The ministry of a priest or a bishop, for example, is not a dignity but it is a service. Just as Jesus came to serve and not to be served, bishops and priests share in this ministry of service.

Mindful of this for our Lenten reflection today, Fr Paul says, we might reflect on the following question, ‘How well do I serve others around me or do I expect them to serve me?’