You Have Shown Me What Greatness Is

You Have Shown Me What Greatness Is

Mk 9: 30 – 37

25^th Sunday in Ordinary Time

Introduction

Today’s reading narrates to us how Jesus found out how his disciples were arguing among themselves as to who was the greatest. Jesus then takes the time  to teach them about the real meaning of greatness.

The Gospel.

Our reading today begins with Jesus and his disciples journeying through Galilee. Jesus did not want anyone to know about this journey, for by now, people would have followed him if they knew he was around. Apparently, he wanted to have time with his disciples in order to teach them something very important.

True enough, Jesus tells his disciples something quite confidential which so far, has been revealed only to them. He speaks once more about his passion and death, saying: “ The Son of Man is to be handed over to men and they will kill him and three days after his death, the Son of Man will rise. “

But despite this pivotal revelation about Jesus’ own fate, the gospel apparently remarks that his disciples “did not understand what he said and were afraid to question him.”

After this, Jesus and his disciples came to Capernaum. When they were  inside the house, Jesus, perhaps curious to know what his disciples were discussing along the way, asked them: “ What were you arguing about on the way?” The disciples fell silent. They seemed to have felt a sense of shame or felt some hesitancy in disclosing what they were arguing about since they have been discussing among themselves who was the greatest.

Notwithstanding their silence, Jesus somehow had a clear idea of what they were arguing about. So he sat down with them and began to correct their own understanding of greatness by saying: “ If anyone wishes to be first, he shall be the last of all and the servant of all. “

To further illustrate his point, Jesus then takes a child, places the child in their midst, puts his arms around the child and says to them: “ Whoever receives one child such as this in my name, receives me; and whoever receives me, receives not me but the One who sent me. “

Reflection

Jesus makes an important revelation to his disciples. He was to suffer, die and after three days would rise from the dead. Had the disciples understood what Jesus said about his passion and death, then maybe, they would not have argued among themselves as to who was the greatest. For Jesus, the concept of service is never separated from his willingness to undergo his passion and death. He suffers and dies for the sake of others.

To understand Jesus’ passion and death is to understand that greatness for Jesus is not about being popular and being accepted by many. On the contrary, greatness for Jesus consists in the willingness to face rejection and the readiness to offer oneself, even one’s own life, for the welfare of all.

There is no space for one’s ego in Jesus’ understanding of greatness. Indeed, one needs to make oneself last and be the servant of all in order to be great in the eyes of God.  

And to further his point about greatness, Jesus takes a child. It might still be possible to make oneself a willing servant for a person with a high and lofty position, like a king or a president. But even the willingness to serve and become a servant for these people can sometimes be tainted with self-interest. Even servanthood can at times disguise and masquerade itself as a well-intentioned and sincere endeavor!

So when Jesus takes a child, he asks his disciples to become servants even for insignificant people such as the little child, who remains unaware and disinterested of the sacrifices others make on its behalf. Serving people like these is like serving Jesus himself and the One who sent him.

Our own understanding of greatness can sometimes be conditioned by the world’s own understanding of greatness. In a world where recognition, popularity and influence are the main drivers to our understanding of greatness, the desire to be recognized, popular and be influential becomes a common preoccupation and endeavor for many of us. Tragically, at times, many end up struggling through life, wishing to achieve just that - to be recognized, popular and influential in the eyes of the community and society at all costs!

Yet Jesus tells us that true greatness is not about this. It is the one who serves, and the one who places his own interests last who becomes the greatest in God’s eyes.

Let us ask the Lord for a deeper understanding of his passion and death, so we may know what greatness is all about.

Prayer

Jesus, I am just human to think of my own interests first. But when I look at you hanging on the cross, you tell me that it is possible for me to put my own interests last so that I may see the needs of others first. You have shown me what greatness is. Amen.

“ the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many."     -  Matthew 20: 28

For more Gospel reflections like this, visit my blog:  thevineyardlaborer.blogspot.com