Mark 10:35-45

James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came to Jesus and said to him,"Teacher, we want you to do for us whatever we ask of you." He replied, "What do you wish me to do for you?" They answered him, "Grant that in your glory we may sit one at your right and the other at your left."

Jesus said to them, "You do not know what you are asking. Can you drink the cup that I drink or be baptized with the baptism with which I am baptized?"

They said to him, "We can."

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;but to sit at my right or at my left is not mine to give but is for those for whom it has been prepared."

When the ten heard this, they became indignant at James and John. Jesus summoned them and said to them, "You know that those who are recognized as rulers over the Gentiles lord it over them,and their great ones make their authority over them felt. But it shall not be so among you. Rather, whoever wishes to be great among you will be your servant; whoever wishes to be first among you will be the slave of all. For the Son of Man did not come to be served but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many."--Mk 10:35-45

This was yesterday's reading. From time to time, when the Spirit inspires, I want to write a brief devotion on the day's reading.

Yesterday morning, as I listened to this reading and then to the homily that followed, I was holding my six-year old developmentally disabled son in my lap. I haven't talked much about my kids, both of whom are dd, thus far, but sometimes it feels like raising them is the cup that I'm to drink and the baptism by which I'm baptised. I believe that God gave me these children.

As their parents, my husband and I hear this from people all the time: "God must have really thought highly of you to give you those kids." Our response is often, "If only God would've thought less of us!" Of course, if we could choose, we would've chosen "normal" children, but most of the time, we don't get to chose the children God gives us. And continuing to be honest, if God wanted to all of a sudden heal my kids, I'd take it. But for whatever reason, God has given me the task of raising two children with developmental disabilities.

Most of the time, the task is easy and light. There are times, like when my son woke up with one of his "phantom" (i.e., unexplained) fevers last night, it is most definately not. It wasn't a few years ago, when he was having grand mal seizures every other week. Today was a hard day, but not the hardest. The easy days far outnumber the hard ones. They're beautiful, and I feel privedged to be their mom.

To prove my point:

George Meyer

AnnaRose Meyer