Aware that his disciples were arguing about something as Jesus continued his journey to Jerusalem, he stopped by a house in Capernaum, a small fishing village about 78 miles north of Jerusalem. When he realized that they were trying to decide who of his followers were the greatest, the Markan narrative has Jesus say, “Whoever wants to be the first, must be the last and servant of all.”
This is a total reversal of how we view power in our normal lives. The first is not last, we think. We ask ourselves, “How can that be?” It’s a total reversal of how we view power and authority. But Jesus turns the tables upside down and tells us that we must change our way of thinking.
Changing how we look at power and authority is not easy. It goes against the grain of everything we have been taught in the secular world. In his statement Jesus also tells us that we are not to be focused on ourselves but on others, not an easy thing to do.
Prayer for the Day
Merciful Creator, you anoint our afflictions and cleanse our wounds,
May the wounds we have caused others be forgiven;
Redeeming God, you bind up the broken hearted and despairing,
May our despair be turned into hope.
Be the pearls of wisdom in our lives, transforming us
Into living models of the One who opened us to your life
In the name of him who is your life in the world,
Even Christ Jesus our Lord. Amen
Thoughts for the Day
Your best servant is the person who does not attend so much to hearing what he himself wants as to willing what he has heard from you.
St. Augustine, Bishop of Hippo (354-430)
To serve is beautiful but only if it is done with joy and a whole heart and free mind.
Pearl S. Buck, American novelist 1872-1973)
Happy are those whom you discipline, O Lord, and whom you teach out of your law
Giving them respite from days of trouble, until a pit is dug for the wicked.
For the Lord will not forsake God’s people, God will not abandon them,
For justice will return to the righteous, and all the upright in heart will follow.
Psalm 94: 12-15