What Is True Greatness?

Ambition is fairly common among young persons and at times they are open enough to express their ambitions to us more mature persons. These moments can be moments in which we teach some very important truths about leadership and what it entails. The gospel passage given to us for our meditation this week gives us the example of Jesus dealing with the ambitions of two of the disciples, James and John.

These two approach Jesus and ask him, “Grant that in your glory we may sit one at your right and the other at your left” Jesus already knows who will have those places but he does not simply say “that is not for you.” He does not throw cold water on their aspirations. Instead he invites them to consider what their request entails. “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?” Jesus had already told his disciples that he was going to suffer and be put to death but we do not know if these two disciples remembered this.  It was probably still in their heads that Jesus was an earthly messiah who would drive out the Romans from their beloved country. They probably imagined that they would be Great War heroes alongside the triumphant Jesus and so they reply, “We can.” Again Jesus does not throw cold water on their aspirations. He continues to fire their imaginations while letting them know that greatness does not depend on sitting at his right or left but on following his example “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.”

As is to be expected the rest of the group of the disciples are indignant, they too want to sit at Jesus’ right and left, even though they may have kept silent about it. Jesus uses the occasion of their indignation to continue his teaching. Greatness is about service not about lording it over others. Jesus reinforces this teaching with the example of his own life. “For the Son of Man did not come to be served but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

In a world in which everything around us says that “greatness is about power”, the Gospel message today says “greatness is about service.” In a very true way the Gospel today puts the example of those of this world who do anything for power over against the example of the Mother Teresa’s of this world and asks us to make a choice of lifestyle; will it be the pursuit greatness through power or the pursuit of greatness through service. The judgment of this very world has always been for those who arrive at greatness through service.

Today we thank God for St. Francis, for Don Bosco, for all the indigenous saints of the Americas’, for Martin Luther King and Ghandi. Their lives tell us what true greatness is about and of the ability of human beings to achieve it.

Prayer
All powerful and ever-loving God the Gospel teaching for today is so counter cultural that it is hard to accept it into our minds and in our hearts. We know however that what is impossible for humans is possible for you our God and Father. Fill us with your Grace we beg you so that service to others will become the motivating force of our lives as it was the motivating factor of the life of Jesus your Son. Help us to so live that You will be able to recognize the image of your Son within us. We ask this through the intercession of Mary our mother and Jesus our brother. Amen.

Gospel Mk 10:35-45
James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came to Jesus 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.”