Wednesday in the Eighth Week in Ordinary Time
The Gospel of Mark is known to be the shortest, the first to be written Gospel, and perhaps the most blunt. Today’s reading from Mark is jarring, not so much in what is said, but in what is omitted. Jesus was leading a caravan of apostles and assorted friends as they approached Jerusalem with its hostile religious leaders. When murmurs of fear spread through the group Jesus halted the march, called the apostles aside, and laid out the hard truth that they were indeed going to Jerusalem where he would be rejected, tortured, and killed, but he would rise on the third day. This should have shocked the apostles to silence and grief. But then Mark has two apostles, James and John, apparently unfazed at what Jesus had just said, approach Jesus and ask for the top positions in the new Kingdom of God. There was no sign of concern for the predicted death of Jesus, only a concern for their own future well-being.
Not only did this show a lack of empathy but they misunderstood the role of leadership in the New Kingdom of God. Without a direct reprimand for these two, Jesus addressed the apostles as a group and insisted that leadership must be a form of service. The greatest among you must be willing to serve in the lowest position.
This is a blunt and hard challenge to swallow in today’s culture. For Christians, the common good is the highest value, and can demand the price of genuine service at any level.
Reflection by Fr. Daniel Petsche, OSB
Posted in Articles for Ordinary Time, Daily Reflections