Hear the word of the Lord in the Gospel of Mark 9:30–37 (NRSV). For the most benefit, read in Lectio Divina fashion (four times with silence for reflection between each reading).
They went on from there and passed through Galilee. He did not want anyone to know it; for he was teaching his disciples, saying to them, “The Son of Man is to be betrayed into human hands, and they will kill him, and three days after being killed, he will rise again.”
But they did not understand what he was saying and were afraid to ask him. Then they came to Capernaum; and when he was in the house he asked them, “What were you arguing about on the way?”
But they were silent, for on the way they had argued with one another about who was the greatest. He sat down, called the twelve, and said to them, “Whoever wants to be first must be last of all and servant of all.”
Then he took a little child and put him among them; and taking him in his arms, he said to them, “Whoever welcomes one such child in my name welcomes me, and whoever welcomes me welcomes not me but the one who sent me.”
New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright © 1989 the Division of Christian Education of the
National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America.
Used by permission. All rights reserved.
The Word of the Lord, for the Followers of the Lord….
Thanks be to God.
Prayer of response:
Lord, we cannot read this passage without wincing—for many reasons. We wince to think of how hard it must have been for those early disciples to hear your wise counsel and recognize how far off the path they were. It’s hard to admit we have been wrong, too.
We wince because we just as easily forget that we are followers of the Risen Lord and therefore servants of the King of Kings, people called to righteous living—in humble faith and dependence upon you, as children of our Heavenly Father.
We fall right into the same patterns as the disciples, arguing over things that are completely outside of the structure of life in your realm of love. What you care about, we miss. We are about who is first when you are about who is last. We are about things we can control, see, touch, hold and own; and you are about service and what can be given away.
We get caught up in the world that worships authority, power and control—when you are about supporting, serving and letting go. We more readily tend toward excluding, criticizing, judging, alienating, dismissing and ignoring—when you welcome, affirm and forgive.
You who have all authority, power and control have shown and taught us a better way. You have called us to deny ourselves and open our lives to the needs of others—to love as you have loved us. In fact, you have called us to live in the humility, wide-eyed wonder and tender heart of a little child.
Lord, help us see how we can bring change in the world by changing our focus to mirror your focus. Forgive and cleanse us from our self-focused ways and fill us with courage to believe you, trust you, obey you and follow you, we pray in the Name of Jesus, Amen.
