Somebody Knows And Somebody Cares

Jesus never minced words. Jesus never spoke into the air. He spoke to real people — men and women with real feelings, real ambitions, real hopes and dreams, real joys and sorrows, real problems. He had a way of speaking that commanded attention, made people listen, compelled people to respond. Jesus had a way of making people take Him seriously — so much so that those who responded negatively, responded violently. And they crucified Him.

In today’s Gospel episode, Jesus is teaching the disciples a lesson that has been evoking negatives responses through all the Ages, even in our time — perhaps especially in our time:

If any one would be first, he must first be last of all and servant of all (Mk. 9;35).

Jesus is speaking here to some of his best friends and closest followers about a real problem they have. Those disciples had just been discussing among themselves the question of who was the greatest among them —…