The greatest among you must be servant of all

The greatest among you must be servant of all

By REV. FR. SAMUEL FREDERICK

Job 1:6-22, Lk. 9:46-50. Today’s first reading provides us with answers for human misery on earth. With the story of the tragedies of Job and how God permitted satan to remove his possessions and family, we understand that misery is part of life. Satan thought Job will curse God for his misfortunes, but the confidence that Job will continue to trust God even in the midst of his tragedies helps us to arrive at the core of faith: wonder, awe, marvel and surrender to the mystery of suffering. From the beginning of the days of his difficulties, Job praised the name of God who provides. It is a human attitude to have myopic view of things instead of moving beyond the physical to have Divine insight. We assume that God abandons us when bad things happen, while we assume that we achieve good things with our human efforts. The fact remains that God wishes no evil upon anyone, but allows us to be challenged in this imperfect world. Evil comes from bad human choices, natural occurrences and sometimes from the evil which is present in the physical and spiritual world. God is with us during those trying times, but we often fail to recognise His presence with us.  

Today's Gospel also projects the importance of perseverance in faith and how God would not abandon His faithful ones even amidst the greatest of challenges and trials. Speaking to His disciples, Jesus enjoins us to seek the Lord with genuine faith, like that of little children coming towards Him. His disciples argued about a selfish question: Which of them was the greatest. It might have been about talent, family background, or even their closeness to Jesus. The lesson began by putting a child beside Him before He said a word. The child is a symbol of weakness and vulnerability. Jesus identifies with the little ones, to whom the world gives no status. In wanting to be the greatest, the disciples were way off the mark, because for them a child never be a symbol of greatness. The second part of the Gospel also shows the lack of understanding of the disciples in regard to their mission. Instead of them to rejoice that other people could also minister in the name of Jesus, they rather complain that others are not of their company. We must always remember that trusting in the Lord Jesus also includes a belief that God can work in and through others who may not be fully united with us.

May the Lord open our eyes so that we can see the way God sees, enlighten our inmost heart and guide us through the storms of life and keep us near to Him! Amen!! Good morning and have a productive week!!

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