A reading from the Second Letter of St. Paul to Corinthians
4:7-15
Brothers and sisters:
We hold this treasure in earthen vessels,
that the surpassing power may be of God and not from us.
We are afflicted in every way, but not constrained;
perplexed, but not driven to despair;
persecuted, but not abandoned;
struck down, but not destroyed;
always carrying about in the body the dying of Jesus,
so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our body.
For we who live are constantly being given up to death
for the sake of Jesus,
so that the life of Jesus may be manifested in our mortal flesh.
So death is at work in us, but life in you.
Since, then, we have the same spirit of faith,
according to what is written, I believed, therefore I spoke,
we too believe and therefore speak,
knowing that the one who raised the Lord Jesus
will raise us also with Jesus
and place us with you in his presence.
Everything indeed is for you,
so that the grace bestowed in abundance on more and more people
may cause the thanksgiving to overflow for the glory of God.
From the Gospel according to Matthew
20:20-28
The mother of the sons of Zebedee approached Jesus with her sons
and did him homage, wishing to ask him for something.
He said to her,
"What do you wish?"
She answered him,
"Command that these two sons of mine sit,
one at your right and the other at your left, in your Kingdom."
Jesus said in reply,
"You do not know what you are asking.
Can you drink the chalice that I am going to drink?"
They said to him, "We can."
He replied,
"My chalice you will indeed drink,
but to sit at my right and at my left, this is not mine to give
but is for those for whom it has been prepared by my Father."
When the ten heard this,
they became indignant at the two brothers.
But Jesus summoned them and said,
"You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them,
and the great ones make their authority over them felt.
But it shall not be so among you.
Rather, whoever wishes to be great among you shall be your servant;
whoever wishes to be first among you shall be your slave.
Just so, the Son of Man did not come to be served
but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many."
Saint James was the brother of John the Evangelist. They were the two disciples to whom – in one of the most striking dialogues recorded in the Gospel – Jesus posed the famous question: “‘Are you able to drink the cup that I am to drink?’ They said to Him: ‘We are able’” (Mt 20:22). They were words of willingness and courage; an attitude typical of young people, though not exclusive to them, but shared by all Christians, and in particular by those who accept the call to be apostles of the Gospel. The two disciples’ generous response was accepted by Jesus. He said to them: “You will drink my cup” (Mt 20:23). These words were fulfilled in James, son of Zebedee, who bore witness to Christ’s resurrection in Jerusalem with his own blood. Jesus had asked the question about the cup that the two brothers were to drink when their mother, as we have read in the Gospel, approached the Master to ask Him for a place of special honour for both of them in the Kingdom. However, after ascertaining their willingness to drink the cup, Christ said to them: “You will drink my cup, but to sit at my right hand and at my left is not mine to grant, but it is for those for whom it has been prepared by my Father” (Mt 20:23). […] Jesus then took the opportunity to explain to everyone that the calling to his Kingdom is not a calling to power but to service, “even as the Son of man came not to be served but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many” (Mt 20:28). (John Paul II, Homily of 9 November 1982)
Gospel and Word of the Day – 25 July 2026 –
A reading from the Second Letter of St. Paul to Corinthians
4:7-15
Brothers and sisters:
We hold this treasure in earthen vessels,
that the surpassing power may be of God and not from us.
We are afflicted in every way, but not constrained;
perplexed, but not driven to despair;
persecuted, but not abandoned;
struck down, but not destroyed;
always carrying about in the body the dying of Jesus,
so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our body.
For we who live are constantly being given up to death
for the sake of Jesus,
so that the life of Jesus may be manifested in our mortal flesh.
So death is at work in us, but life in you.
Since, then, we have the same spirit of faith,
according to what is written, I believed, therefore I spoke,
we too believe and therefore speak,
knowing that the one who raised the Lord Jesus
will raise us also with Jesus
and place us with you in his presence.
Everything indeed is for you,
so that the grace bestowed in abundance on more and more people
may cause the thanksgiving to overflow for the glory of God.
From the Gospel according to Matthew
20:20-28
The mother of the sons of Zebedee approached Jesus with her sons
and did him homage, wishing to ask him for something.
He said to her,
"What do you wish?"
She answered him,
"Command that these two sons of mine sit,
one at your right and the other at your left, in your Kingdom."
Jesus said in reply,
"You do not know what you are asking.
Can you drink the chalice that I am going to drink?"
They said to him, "We can."
He replied,
"My chalice you will indeed drink,
but to sit at my right and at my left, this is not mine to give
but is for those for whom it has been prepared by my Father."
When the ten heard this,
they became indignant at the two brothers.
But Jesus summoned them and said,
"You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them,
and the great ones make their authority over them felt.
But it shall not be so among you.
Rather, whoever wishes to be great among you shall be your servant;
whoever wishes to be first among you shall be your slave.
Just so, the Son of Man did not come to be served
but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many."
Saint James was the brother of John the Evangelist. They were the two disciples to whom – in one of the most striking dialogues recorded in the Gospel – Jesus posed the famous question: “‘Are you able to drink the cup that I am to drink?’ They said to Him: ‘We are able’” (Mt 20:22). They were words of willingness and courage; an attitude typical of young people, though not exclusive to them, but shared by all Christians, and in particular by those who accept the call to be apostles of the Gospel. The two disciples’ generous response was accepted by Jesus. He said to them: “You will drink my cup” (Mt 20:23). These words were fulfilled in James, son of Zebedee, who bore witness to Christ’s resurrection in Jerusalem with his own blood. Jesus had asked the question about the cup that the two brothers were to drink when their mother, as we have read in the Gospel, approached the Master to ask Him for a place of special honour for both of them in the Kingdom. However, after ascertaining their willingness to drink the cup, Christ said to them: “You will drink my cup, but to sit at my right hand and at my left is not mine to grant, but it is for those for whom it has been prepared by my Father” (Mt 20:23). […] Jesus then took the opportunity to explain to everyone that the calling to his Kingdom is not a calling to power but to service, “even as the Son of man came not to be served but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many” (Mt 20:28). (John Paul II, Homily of 9 November 1982)
A reading from the Second Letter of St. Paul to Corinthians
4:7-15
Brothers and sisters:
We hold this treasure in earthen vessels,
that the surpassing power may be of God and not from us.
We are afflicted in every way, but not constrained;
perplexed, but not driven to despair;
persecuted, but not abandoned;
struck down, but not destroyed;
always carrying about in the body the dying of Jesus,
so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our body.
For we who live are constantly being given up to death
for the sake of Jesus,
so that the life of Jesus may be manifested in our mortal flesh.
So death is at work in us, but life in you.
Since, then, we have the same spirit of faith,
according to what is written, I believed, therefore I spoke,
we too believe and therefore speak,
knowing that the one who raised the Lord Jesus
will raise us also with Jesus
and place us with you in his presence.
Everything indeed is for you,
so that the grace bestowed in abundance on more and more people
may cause the thanksgiving to overflow for the glory of God.
From the Gospel according to Matthew
20:20-28
The mother of the sons of Zebedee approached Jesus with her sons
and did him homage, wishing to ask him for something.
He said to her,
"What do you wish?"
She answered him,
"Command that these two sons of mine sit,
one at your right and the other at your left, in your Kingdom."
Jesus said in reply,
"You do not know what you are asking.
Can you drink the chalice that I am going to drink?"
They said to him, "We can."
He replied,
"My chalice you will indeed drink,
but to sit at my right and at my left, this is not mine to give
but is for those for whom it has been prepared by my Father."
When the ten heard this,
they became indignant at the two brothers.
But Jesus summoned them and said,
"You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them,
and the great ones make their authority over them felt.
But it shall not be so among you.
Rather, whoever wishes to be great among you shall be your servant;
whoever wishes to be first among you shall be your slave.
Just so, the Son of Man did not come to be served
but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many."
Saint James was the brother of John the Evangelist. They were the two disciples to whom – in one of the most striking dialogues recorded in the Gospel – Jesus posed the famous question: “‘Are you able to drink the cup that I am to drink?’ They said to Him: ‘We are able’” (Mt 20:22). They were words of willingness and courage; an attitude typical of young people, though not exclusive to them, but shared by all Christians, and in particular by those who accept the call to be apostles of the Gospel. The two disciples’ generous response was accepted by Jesus. He said to them: “You will drink my cup” (Mt 20:23). These words were fulfilled in James, son of Zebedee, who bore witness to Christ’s resurrection in Jerusalem with his own blood. Jesus had asked the question about the cup that the two brothers were to drink when their mother, as we have read in the Gospel, approached the Master to ask Him for a place of special honour for both of them in the Kingdom. However, after ascertaining their willingness to drink the cup, Christ said to them: “You will drink my cup, but to sit at my right hand and at my left is not mine to grant, but it is for those for whom it has been prepared by my Father” (Mt 20:23). […] Jesus then took the opportunity to explain to everyone that the calling to his Kingdom is not a calling to power but to service, “even as the Son of man came not to be served but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many” (Mt 20:28). (John Paul II, Homily of 9 November 1982)