But Jesus summoned them and said, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and the great ones make their authority over them felt.
But it shall not be so among you. Rather, whoever wishes to be great among you shall be your servant;
whoever wishes to be first among you shall be your slave.
Just so, the Son of Man did not come to be served but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many.” (Matthew 20:25-28 NABRE)
Have you ever jockeyed for position at work? Tried to gain an advantage either by talking down about a coworker or by exaggerating your own success? Today's verse is Jesus' response to the kind of competitive thinking that prompts us to act this way. And it goes to the heart of what it means to be a follower of Jesus.
He tells his disciples that rank among believers is nothing to be sought, unless perhaps one seeks to be a slave. His counter-intuitive teaching was radical then and is just as radical today. Christians serve one another and in the same spirit of service, we reach outside our community to serve others. This is our call. This is our first footstep toward making "disciples of all nations."*
In the spirit of Lent, Pope Francis recently reached out, offering some tips on preparing for Confession. They are a profound reminder of how much of our everyday thinking, how much our everyday lives can interfere with our walk with God, turning our heads aside from the path he has set out for us. Maybe it's time to straighten things out with him, in trust, confident in his faithfulness, love and mercy.
Today, I will speak well of all my coworkers, honestly but only in a manner that reflects well on them.
Saint Casimir, patron of Lithuania, Poland, and Russia, pray for us.
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