Gospel Reflection for the Twenty Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time

23rd. September – Who is the Greatest?

Perhaps at times we would like to think that the first and very early followers of Jesus got on with each other all the time without any problems or disagreements; this would be a mistake! As they became more organised, certain of their members wanted to be in charge, in control and make all the decisions for the group. How quickly authority and service turns into power and control! St. James, one of the early church writers is clearly aware if this when he writes to the people, and says to them; ‘wherever you find jealousy and ambition, you will find disharmony and terrible things of every kind being done.’ Clearly they had forgotten the words of Jesus, ‘You know how it is with other rulers who lord it over people, and they make their authority felt. This must not happen to you. No; anyone who wants to be great among you must first be you slave. The Son of Man came not to be served by to serve.’

In the gospel, Jesus seems to be faced with the same situation as St. James was in the second reading: service versus power, authority without humility. As they arrive in the Capernaum, Jesus asked his followers what they were arguing about on the road. So, clearly they weren’t just talking, they were definitely arguing amongst themselves. They were embarrassed and ashamed to tell him, because they arguing about which of them was the greatest. One can only imagine Jesus taking a sharp intake of breath and rolling his eyes again at how slow his disciples were being. It’s as if he says to them, look it very simple, if anyone wants to be first, they must make themselves last and the servant of all.’ To prove and illustrate his point, Jesus stands a child in front of them and says to welcome a child is to welcome him.

Why did Jesus on this occasion and others, uses the example of a child to explain what it is to be one of his followers. At the time of Jesus, children had little or no value; they were seen as having no more worth or value than that of a slave. And, like slaves, children were easily bought and sold to work on farms or as shepherds. A child was only seen as being any way valuable if they could earn money for somebody else. The friends, followers and disciples of Jesus would have been all too aware of this. Imagine how silent they would have been when Jesus said to that if they wanted to be disciples they would have to be become like children. He was challenging them and us today to really and radically let go of our high ideas of about ourselves when it comes to leadership, power and control.

Jesus is not asking us to do anything he himself has not already done. At the meal with his friends, he took the place of slave and washed their feet. He said that he had given them an example they were to follow: love and serve each other as he loved and serves us. To be the followers of Jesus today, we too are called to be humble and to serve others he did. This is applies not only to the disciples in the gospel, but to each of us today as well.

Michael Moore OMI