In the Gospel today from Mark 10, we hear Jesus once again telling the Twelve that they must be servants.
James and John came to Jesus to ask that they sit at Jesus’ right and left in His kingdom. The other ten didn’t take too kindly to this. They probably all wanted to be afforded the same privilege. But Jesus lets them know what that will entail. “Whoever wishes to be great among you will be your servant; whoever wishes to be first among you will be the slave of all.” Servant?! Slave?! Why, those are the low men on the totem pole! These were the guys that were hand-picked by Jesus himself to be the leaders of the Church. Leaders aren’t servants! Leaders aren’t slaves!
Or are they? “Just so, the Son of Man did not come to be served but to serve…” Look at the example of Jesus. Healing. Teaching. Feeding. Washing feet. Radical ideas about leadership, no? These men, the Twelve, were the first bishops of the Church. And our bishops today are tasked with the same job. To be servants. To be the slaves of all. I hope that today we will pray for our bishops. Pray that they will remember these words of Jesus. All of our priests and religious should be living out the example of Jesus. Are we?
Father, teach us to be servants and slaves. Help us to follow the example of Jesus and give up our lives in service to others. Amen.
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