Something very human happened on the way to Capernaum. The apostles got into an argument. Not about who caught the biggest fish or who had the longest beard. Rather, they were arguing a question as old as humankind: who among them was the greatest.
Mark gives us no details but I can imagine Andrew telling his brother, Peter, “I saw him before you did.” Like a typical brother not to be outdone, Peter snapped back, “Yeah, but he gave me the keys!” Butting in, James piped up, “Maybe so, but he also took me up on the mountain with you to see Moses and Elijah. The rest of you ain’t seen anything yet!” Philip interceded, “All this may be nice, but remember when we had that catering problem in Galilee with so many people to feed? He turned to me for advice.” Not to be outdone, John chimed in with the reminder that he is the beloved disciple. Of course, Judas gets in the last word. “Argue all you want gentlemen, but he gave me the money and without money, you got nothing!”
We might be perplexed by the apostles’ show of jealousy and ambition. Jesus had just shared the news of his pending death. Instead of questioning him since they did not understand what he was saying, they bickered amongst themselves as to who was the greatest, still anticipating the rise of an earthly kingdom.
Jesus responded to their debate with advice that probably left them speechless. Instead of rebuking them for not listening to him, he told them, “If anyone wishes to be first, he shall be the last of all and the servant of all.” His rebuke brings to mind the image of a butler. I recall as a kid how my uncle often called me his butler whenever he asked me to do a favor for him.
Being a servant doesn’t sound like an important person’s job yet when you stop to think about it, countless jobs in our society are service related. People serve one another in any number of ways from waving us onboard the ferry to serving us a latte at an espresso stand. None may seem important but they do make a difference in our lives.
What defines importance for the apostles and many of us is nothing less than self-centered pride, yet as many spiritual masters have long noted, pride is the greatest sin. Pride leaves us focused on our own concerns, wishes and wants, at the expense of others. James tells us in his letter that conflicts and disputes result from our inner cravings, which move us to sin in our quest for what we want for ourselves.
Jesus quietly urges us to examine our criteria for greatness. He advises us that our greatness in the sight of God is found in our willingness to serve others. Servant is a very fitting synonym for Christian. Christians should set the needs of others ahead of their own wants. Every day we have to resist the temptation to selfishness, the temptation to put ourselves before others. How then might we translate that into our everyday lives in this time and place?
Years ago, while teaching on Guam, the principal showed a movie to the students about Gale Sayers, who played football for the Chicago Bears. He wore a medallion that was inscribed, “I am third.” When asked what that meant, Gale would reply, “God is first, you are second, and I am third.”
Imagine how different our world would be if everyone adopted that philosophy of life. Certainly that would make a difference in the quality of every marriage if husbands and wives lived their relationship with one another in that way or in every family if parents and their children related to one another in that way, replacing jealousy and selfish ambition with respect, gentleness, and genuine love. We could overcome racism and poverty if we treated everyone in that same way with respect, gentleness and genuine love.
The same can be said about our parish family. I have been impressed by the service given by many in the parish. I may be the presider and the homilist at Mass, but the quality of our worship depends on the involvement of many more people beside me. The greeters who welcome everybody; the musicians who enhance our worship; the lectors who proclaim the word of God; those who add beauty to our worship space from growing the flowers to arranging them; the team that strive to keep our facility clean and safe for everyone; the members who serve on our parish leadership teams; the volunteers who help with religious ed., visit the sick, or provide hospitality by serving coffee and treats. Parishioners doing these and other activities work together to make St. Hubert a vibrant faith community. They choose to serve generously and that has made a difference.
True greatness, as the apostles eventually discovered, comes not in positions of power or prestige, but in touching the lives of others, in the joy we bring into our world, in the holy and sacred we make real for our families and friends doing what we can to bring about the kingdom of God. We rarely remember most of the headliners from a decade ago. On the other hand, we do remember teachers and friends from long ago who made a difference in our lives because they cared.
When the day comes that we stand before God, will we be recognized as one who cared to serve or as one who expected to be served?