Twenty-fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time
Wisdom 2:12—17-20 | James 3:16—4:3 | Mark 9:30-37
This Sunday’s Gospel recounts a pivotal moment in Jesus’ ministry, where he predicts his death and resurrection for the second time and then teaches his disciples about humility and service. The disciples, confused by Jesus’ prediction, or possibly unable to deal with it, engage in an argument over who among them is the greatest. Avoidance is a common tool to avoid our personal suffering or the suffering of others. Instead of being empathetic to Jesus’ prediction, they focus on self. Jesus responds by telling them that true greatness lies in becoming a servant to others, saying, “If anyone wants to be first, he/she must be the last of all and the servant of all.” He then raises up a child (considered the lowest in Jesus’ society) as a symbol, emphasizing that welcoming the lowliest in society is akin to welcoming God. The subhuman rhetoric about migrants and immigrants today seems to point to a parallel in our time.
This passage about the disciple’s concern about being the greatest brought to mind a poignant memory. I was at an event where Cardinal Tobin, Archbishop of Newark, New Jersey, was present. The Cardinal, a giant of a man, was kneeling before an elderly man in a wheelchair, his hand on his shoulder with his eyes locked on the man. At that moment, I was speaking with a Jewish couple and the husband pointed out to me the scene of the Cardinal with the man. The husband, with tears in his eyes, remarked, “That kind of humility is what it means to be a leader and the best of what I think means to be authentically religious.”
This gospel passage highlights the Christian call to humility and service. The disciples’ desire to be the greatest contrasts sharply with Jesus’ message, which upends worldly values of power and rank. Jesus points out that greatness in God’s kingdom is not about status or prestige but about selfless service to others, especially the most vulnerable.
In our everyday lives, this teaching challenges us to shift our focus from self-promotion to self-giving. Whether in our workplace, family, or community, we are called to serve others rather than seeking recognition or authority. It invites us to see Christ in the “least” among us—the poor, the overlooked, the migrant, the denigrated—and to treat them with the same care and attention we would show to Christ.
Practicing humility can be as simple as listening more attentively, giving up our own preferences for the good of others, or performing acts of kindness without seeking anything in return. Through small, daily acts of kindness and seeing the stranger as our neighbor, we embody the values of the Gospel and draw closer to Christ’s vision of true greatness.
Sr. Theresa Rickard, OP
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