17 PENTECOST, PROPER XX - B - 15 MARK 9: 30-37
In today’s gospel Mark gives us Jesus’ second
prediction of his death and resurrection as Christ and his disciples are
passing through Galilee on their way to Jerusalem and the cross. Mark says
Jesus is teaching his disciples, but like all students, they only hear what
they want to hear. I think Mark is kind in saying that they did not understand
Jesus and were afraid to ask what he really meant, because I think they did. At
least the part about Christ dying.
Why else would they begin to argue about which one
of them was the “greatest?” Jesus made his first prediction of his betrayal,
death and resurrection in last week’s gospel to which Peter immediately rebuked
him. Jesus, seeing the impact Peter’s words were having on the rest of the
disciples, turns and rebukes Peter for not being on God’s side.
Obviously Peter understood what Jesus was saying
about his death, but his thinking was earthly in terms of the Messiah he wanted
Jesus to be. In rebuking Peter, Jesus made it quite clear to all of his
disciples that his death was part of the plan, God’s divine plan, and that
Peter and the rest needed to see it that way; to look past the cross to the new
life it would bring.
And yet here we are with Christ’s second prediction
causing an argument among them. It must have been deeply disappointing to Jesus
to overhear their words. Obviously they had totally misunderstood what he was
trying to teach them about who he really was and what it was they were called
to be and do, including what constituted “greatness” in the kingdom of God.
So Christ asks them, “what are you arguing about?”
But he already knows. They are silent because they are embarrassed and ashamed.
The disciple’s argument, you see, represents selfish
interests and worldly power. Their thinking is strictly earthy. Their concern
is for their own welfare; their own status. It’s about what is in it for me.
They understand half the message, the half they wanted to understand; the part
about His death, but not the resurrection.
The real teaching about discipleship/servant hood,
occurs when Christ takes a child and places him in their midst in an effort to
jolt them out of their narcissistic thinking. “Whoever wants to be first must
be last of all and servant of all.”
Christ’s words and illustration point out the
pitfalls of pride and the love of power. Both are fermented in the spirit of
rivalry and cruelty that arise out of the hearts of men. Neither of which has
anything to do with being His disciple much less entrance into the Kingdom of
God.
Christian “greatness” consists in renunciation of
all that the world values and in the service of those whom the world rates of
least account. So Jesus takes a little
child and holds him before them. Children had no status or prestige in ancient
times. What Jesus is trying to say is the disciples won’t gain particular favor
or social standing because they are followers of His, and neither will we.
The gospel does not exist to make us feel good about
ourselves. If this is what we think, then, it is unlikely we will be able to
hear what God is actually saying. Being a Christian does not somehow make us
special. True “greatness” calls for reversal of selfish goals. It is not enough
to be last, but last and servant of all.
The child in Jesus’ arms “incarnates” this
revelation of discipleship. His action reminds us of the virtues required for
entrance into the kingdom of heaven: humility, obedience, and a willingness to
love and to be loved. God’s way turns our earthly thinking upside down and
inside out, and sometimes even puts it in reverse.
Jesus’ teaching, then, was meant to be an eye opener
to those whom He had chosen to carry on His mission after Him and for all who
choose to follow Him. The disciple’s eyes, as well as ours, needed to be opened
to what it truly means to serve in Christ’s name.
Not only that, but we are called to see the Passion
for what it truly is; to see beyond the cross, to see in the cross a path to
new life, to see in servant hood not a demeaning of personhood, but an
enhancement of life.
Jesus’ teaching on servant hood did not sink in all
the way, as we might imagine. That would occur after His death and resurrection
and the coming of the Holy Spirit. For now, the seeds have been planted. Christ
will continue to give them a living example of servant hood in the things he
will do and say as they make their way to Jerusalem, up to and including His
death on the cross.
No longer will they argue about which one of them is
the greatest, rather I can see them discussing among themselves, as they ponder
in their hearts, what He really meant when he placed that child in their midst,
and what it would have to do with them. Eventually, they will come to know and
understand, as we all must: the virtues required for entrance into the kingdom
of heaven: humility, obedience, and a willingness to love and be loved.
Christ’ teaching impacted their lives in ways they
would have never imagined, and it continues to impact lives today; the lives of
those, that is, who are open to hear what God is actually saying. For the
gospel does not exist to make us feel good about ourselves, because it is not
about us.
To be a Christian does not somehow make us special,
rather it comes with the awesome responsibility to serve others in the name of
Him who came not to be served, but to serve, and give His life as a ransom for
many, even Jesus Christ, Our Lord. AMEN+
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