Servant of Intimacy: Walking Close with Jesus
“For the Souls in Purgatory – Eternal rest grant unto them O Lord”
Mk 10:35-4
Then James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came to him 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.”
Grace Prayed For
Grace to surrender ambition and pride, to let go of worldly definitions of greatness.
Reflection
What do you long for, deep in your heart? James and John step forward, bold and hopeful, asking Jesus for places of honor in His glory. Their request is not small—it reveals a hunger for closeness, for significance, for intimacy with the One they believe in. They want to sit at His right and left. And yet, Jesus turns them toward a deeper understanding: intimacy with Him involves more than privilege; it involves sharing in His own journey, even the cup, even the baptism of His suffering.
To be an intimate disciple of Jesus is to lean into vulnerability. It is to accept that the path of closeness with the Father and through the Spirit will cost something. It may cost comfort. It may cost ambition as the world defines it. But in that cost, there is a gift: Jesus shows us that the way up is the way of service; that greatness in God’s kingdom is measured in love, humility, sacrifice.
In the Trinity, intimacy is woven into the very life of God. The Son, living always in communion with the Father, in the power of the Spirit, serves. The Father sends. The Spirit empowers. When we pray, we enter into that communion. When we serve, we become signs of that communion in the world. Growing in intimacy with Jesus is not just personal, but missionary. It shapes how we see others, what we give, where we go, what we speak.
Allow His words to probe your heart: Do you want the high seat, or do you want the high service? Do you want to be known, or do you want to let Him know you? Do you cling to being served, or do you follow His example of serving? His own self-gift, His life given as a ransom, is the ultimate act of intimacy for the many. And He invites you into that.
Announcing Jesus in Our Lives
We can evangelize by living out the love of Jesus in our day-to-day life. This isn’t about giving formal sermWays to Evangelize in Daily Life, Partnering with Jesus
Invite others into intimacy — Sometimes evangelizing is simply inviting someone into prayer, into community, into encountering Jesus. Offer to pray with someone, share scripture, invite them to church or small group, because Christ’s intimacy naturally overflows into relationships.
Be attentive to others’ needs and serve — In your workplace, family, neighborhood: look for small opportunities to help without seeking credit. A kind word, a practical help, listening to someone’s story. These are incarnations of “servant heart.”
Share your story of how Christ has loved and served you — When people ask how you find strength or hope, don’t just speak in generalities: tell of times when Jesus carried you, when you tasted His intimate love, when serving others reshaped you. Personal witness moves hearts.
Pray and act for justice, mercy, reconciliation — Intimate discipleship doesn’t stay private. The love you receive to be shared: support those who are marginalized, be present with those who are suffering, advocate for those without voice.
Live out humility in leadership — If you lead in church, at work, among peers: lead as Jesus did, as one who serves. Use your influence to lift others rather than self-promotion.
When Time Allows Reflect on the Posts in Library and Musings
Sharing
Jesus last words on Earth were to his disciples, can be found in Matthew Chap 28 when Jesus told his disciples, “Then Jesus approached and said to them, “All power in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, until the end of the age.”
Jesus calls all of us to share in his redemptive mission here on Earth. I would ask you to share this Scripture reflection with your family, your friends and your acquaintances, and then share it with a couple of individuals that you may may not be comfortable sharing with, keeping in mind always the words of Jesus, And behold, I am with you always, until the end of the age
Author was assisted by AI in the drafting of this Post