This is a reflection that came across my desk for this weekend’s
Scripture Readings that I thought I’d share with you:
"Whoever wishes to be great among you will be your
servant." In the wake of James and John's vanity, Jesus
offers this directive. These two apostles had been thinking
in terms of prominence, glory, and worldly honor. They wanted their association with Jesus to lead to public recognition and respect as they took their places at his right and left. But Jesus put them in their place.
As was typical of so many of his teachings, Jesus upset the status quo. He told his followers that, although "great ones make their authority over them felt ... it shall not be so among you." Then, he put forward this clear image of the servant leader: "Whoever wishes to be &irst among you will
be the slave of all."
As followers of Christ, this instruction applies to us as well. We are called to the humility of service that seeks neither personal glory nor gain. We are called to use what authority we may have in the world for the benefit of our brothers and sisters, not for the sake of stroking our own egos. It's
easy to pat ourselves on the back for the good works that we do to think that we are superior Christians, that others owe us a debt of gratitude, or that our names should be engraved on a public placard in some noteworthy hall. But Jesus calls us to a different standard - the one he himself
exemplified through his life of service.
At the same time, today's Gospel gives us cause to meditate upon our association with Jesus and what we hope to get out of it. Why are we Christian? Are we only after the glory of heaven? Are we afraid to publicly profess our faith when it might hurt our reputation? Or are we in this for the love
of the Lord, who came into this world "to serve and to give his life as a ransom" for us?
Text Relection by Gina Loehr, Liturgical Publications Inc.