WHAT IS OUR DESIRE?
To be first, one must
be last and, not only that, but one must be a servant of all.
We compare ourselves with others and desire
their praise often. The appetite for glory and greatness seems to be inbred in
us. Who doesn't cherish the ambition to be "somebody" whom others
admire rather than a "nobody"? Even the Psalms speak about the glory
that God our Father has destined for you and I. "You have made them a
little lower than God, and crowned them with glory and honor" (Ps 8:5). We
also read in today's Responsorial Psalm how important we are to our heavenly
Father. If we commit our lives to the Lord, He will help His children (cf Ps
37:5), for we must trust in Him and do good deeds in our lives.
Jesus Christ predicts His suffering, death,
and resurrection three times in the Gospel of Mark. Each time the disciples
fail to understand what He means. They think that being the Messiah means glory
and power. Rather, Jesus defines it in terms of suffering and death on a cross.
Because of this, Jesus follows up His prediction with a corrective teaching to
help them understand. He emphasizes His teaching that to be first, one must be
last and, not only that, but one must be a servant of all. Jesus Christ uses a
little child to illustrate what He means. Jesus points to the child as an
example of what a disciple should be - He is pointing to the lowest status
available. This is what it means to be a servant of all. It is all about
following Jesus, Who gives His life for others, not having a deep desire for
power, glory, and wealth. It is a very difficult and challenging teaching for
them and for us, today.
Jesus, Himself, is our Model. "The Son of
Man did not come to be served, but to serve" (Mt 20:28). And St. Paul
said, "He emptied Himself and took the form of a servant...God opposes the
proud, but gives grace to the humble" (Phil 2:7; Jas 4:6).
What do you desire?