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Ambitious Public Request
The multitude of hearers grew and swelled,
As she stepped forward with her sons and knelt,
Remarkable a woman - Salome,
The mother of the brothers Zebedee.
Oh how ambitious mothers oft can be,
To boost and foster sons and progeny,
And for their children alwayst want the best,-
Thus she approached the Lord with her request:
“My sons,- kind Lord, grant them priority"
Spoke the determined mother Zebedee,
They are my sons, my winsome sons, - I plead
Give in your kingdom both your choicest seat!”
"Pray grant my sons a seat on either side,
James on your left hand, and John to your right,
Please! - to your left and right my James and John,
When you are seated Lord upon your throne!
Unreasonable this request did seem,
To the disciples that surrounded Him,
They felt the pangs of rising jealousy,
And wrath against the mother Zebedee.
Vexed, loyal Phillip grumbled in his beard,
And indignation's murmuring was heard:
"Fish to her sons, - we are disciples too
She’s pestering Him again, - a déja vue!“.
“This time she did it even publicly,
Fish to the pest, and brothers Zebedee!
In public, lo!, before the gathered crowd,
The woman has a nerve there is no doubt.”
But Summum Bonum smiled with kindliness,
And seemed this mom's petition to assess,
And then rebuking her the Lord replied”
"As to the seats, - the Father will decide“.
"There is, my daughter, a prerequisite;
Priorities have to be merited,
The Father does determine and invite
With sapience and wisdom infinite."
And spirit, knows no bourns and boundary,
It may not give to seats supremacy,
Lo! spirit permeates, - is transcendent
And is to chairs and seats indifferent.
The zealous, mother of young James and John,
Irked the disciples and their hangers-on.
But now she got her lesson finally,
and disappointed she rose from her knee.
Ah mothers! mothers! - what audacity,
As they pursue their goal relentlessly,
To push their children they will give no rest,
Till the last drop is from the lemon pressed.
***
Yet Scripture tells, both won beatitude,
Her sons, - by toil, by martyrdom and blood,
As saints in years to come - but not far off
And service in the ministry of love.
Matthew 27.56
© Elizabeth Dandy
