Cycle B - Year II:  

23 September 2018: Twenty-fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time

(Liturgical Color: Green)

Readings:

First Reading:        Wisdom 2:12, 17-20

Second Reading:   James 3:16--4:3

Gospel:   Please Read  Mark 9:30-37

The greatest among us!

Do you strive to be great? Maybe we all do. But what is the measure of greatness?

Let us hear from our Lord Jesus Christ Himself, as He speaks about "greatness" in the eyes of God our Father.

Jesus and His disciples left for Capernaum through Galilee. On the way Jesus was telling the disciples about His Passion, death and Resurrection. This is the second time He did so; the first time is found in Mark 8:27-38. Jesus is prophesying His betrayal and crucifixion. He will be delivered into the hands of enemies and will be put to death. Thus, our Lord is telling the disciples that His kingship does not consist of power and dominion, but of humility and service.

But the disciples do not understand the words about the cross because they are not capable of understanding or accepting a Messiah who becomes the servant of the brothers. They continue to dream of a glorious Messiah.

Also, the disciples were busy discussing and arguing among themselves who was the greatest. And so the Lord's revelation of a suffering Messiah does not make sense and did not fit their understanding and expectation of what the Messiah came to do.

Perhaps, in a way the disciples do not really want Jesus to talk about suffering for some reasons. First, they do genuinely care for Jesus and so do not want Him to suffer at all. Second, Jesus' plan does not make sense to them at that time. In their human thinking, they want to believe that Jesus can do much more good for the Father if He just keeps healing people, preaching great sermons, performing miracles and attracting large crowds. Third, the disciples do not like this message of a suffering Messiah because it also means that they, too, might have to suffer as well, if they want to remain Jesus' disciples.

Now, aren't we like the disciples in this sense? Because our concept of greatness is worldly dominion, wealth and power, and the desire for praise from others.

And so Jesus sits down with the disciples and patiently explains a lesson on greatness through humility and service. And to begin with, Jesus explains that "if anyone wishes to be first, he shall be the last of all and the servant of all." For in His kingdom, greatness is equated with exhibiting a heart of serving one's neighbor. 

And explaining further, Jesus places a little child from the crowd in their midst to explain His point. But what can a child possibly teach us about greatness?

Well, Jesus tells His disciples that in God's kingdom, whoever has the heart of a child will be considered great. He means to say, whoever humbles himself and serves the "little ones" of society --the poor, neglected, those with neither power or voice in society.

The image of a child, in the example of our Lord, challenges us to re-think our notion of leadership and greatness. And Jesus Himself is our model. He came not to be served but to serve. Our Lord lowered Himself and took on our lowly nature that He might raise us up and clothe us in His divine nature.

So in sum, to follow our Lord Jesus Christ entails a radical change in our earthly notion of power that dominates, and instead follow in His footsteps of humble and truthful service to the poor and to those in need.

Let us pray, that we follow the example of Jesus' humble service as we strive to become great leaders of our family, our workplace, in society, and our nation, if it so demands. Amen.

A blessed Sunday to us all. And thank you for a moment with God.

Ad Jesum per Mariam!