Vigils Reading – St James

CAN YOU DRINK THE CHALICE?

From a homily by St John Chrysostom5

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Let no one take scandal if we say now that the apostles were not perfect,

for the mystery of the cross had as yet not been consummated; the grace of the

Holy Spirit had not yet been infused into their hearts. If you are desirous of

knowing their virtue, consider what kind of men they were after the grace of the

Spirit had been given, and you will see that they overcame every perverse

inclination in them. For this very purpose their imperfection is now revealed

that you might clearly see what they suddenly became through the operation of

grace.

That they once sought nothing spiritual, nor thought about the Kingdom

of Heaven, is very clear. But still let us consider how they approached our Lord

and what they said. “We desire,” they said, “that whatsoever we ask of thee,

thou wilt grant us.” To which Christ replied, “What do you desire?” – certainly

not because He did not know, but that He might compel them to answer and

thereby might lay open the wound and thus apply the remedy. But they,

blushing and held back by shame because they had come to Him motivated by

human aspirations, took Christ apart from the rest and questioned Him. They

moved aside lest perhaps they be heard by the rest. And so at last they said what

they wished. I conjecture that they had heard that the disciples were to be

seated on twelve thrones and they wished to ask for the place of honor in this

assembly; they knew that at other times they were given precedence over the

rest, but fearing that Peter might be put before them, they were bold enough to

request, “Say that one may sit on thy right hand, the other on they left.” And

they pressed Him saying, “Speak thus.”

And what did He say? That He might show that they sought nothing

spiritual, and did not even realize what they were asking – for had they known

they would not have asked it – Jesus said to them, “You know not what you ask;

you know not how great, how admirable a thing this is, far surpassing even the

higher Powers.”

And He added further: “Can you drink the chalice which I shall drink, and

be baptized with the baptism wherewith I am baptized?” Notice how He moves

them from their present state of mind by bringing to their attention things

entirely contrary. “For,” He says, “you ask me for crowns and honors, but I

speak to you of struggle and perspiration. This is not a time for rewards, nor

will my glory appear at this time, but the present is the time of death and

dangers.” But observe how by His very manner of questioning He exhorts and

consoles. He did not say, “Can you undergo suffering? Can you shed your

blood?” But He said, “Can you drink the chalice?” Then by way of consolation

He adds, “which I am to drink.” So that by their very union with Him they might

become more eager for hardships.

5 The Liturgical Readings. St. Meinrad’s Abbey Press, 1943, pp. 422-423.11