The Real Face of Glory
Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Mark 9:30-37.
Jesus and his disciples left from there and began a journey through Galilee,
but he did not wish anyone to know about it.
He was teaching his disciples and telling them,
“The Son of Man is to be handed over to men
and they will kill him,
and three days after his death the Son of Man will rise.”
But they did not understand the saying,
and they were afraid to question him.
They came to Capernaum and, once inside the house,
he began to ask them,
“What were you arguing about on the way?”
But they remained silent.
They had been discussing among themselves on the way
who was the greatest.
Then he sat down, called the Twelve, and said to them,
“If anyone wishes to be first,
he shall be the last of all and the servant of all.”
Taking a child, he placed it in the their midst,
and putting his arms around it, he said to them,
“Whoever receives one child such as this in my name, receives me;
and whoever receives me,
receives not me but the One who sent me.”
but he did not wish anyone to know about it.
He was teaching his disciples and telling them,
“The Son of Man is to be handed over to men
and they will kill him,
and three days after his death the Son of Man will rise.”
But they did not understand the saying,
and they were afraid to question him.
They came to Capernaum and, once inside the house,
he began to ask them,
“What were you arguing about on the way?”
But they remained silent.
They had been discussing among themselves on the way
who was the greatest.
Then he sat down, called the Twelve, and said to them,
“If anyone wishes to be first,
he shall be the last of all and the servant of all.”
Taking a child, he placed it in the their midst,
and putting his arms around it, he said to them,
“Whoever receives one child such as this in my name, receives me;
and whoever receives me,
receives not me but the One who sent me.”
—
Reflection
Jesus was prophesying His Passion and Death to His disciples to prepare them for His moment of glorification. Sadly, the Twelve were blinded by their concept of glory they preoccupied themselves with ascendancy over the rest. Jesus’ message was lost in their ambitions.
Jesus then sat down, the pose for a teacher, to point out to them the real face of glory. Real glory is found in real service. It is the service epitomized in the image of the suffering Jesus on the cross. It a service that exacts the payment of one’s life. In dying on the cross, Jesus served everyone His life. The Twelve had to understand this well.
The Servant of all gave us an example of humility, a humility that can only come from a child, from the Son. For while he was at the top of the mount of Calvary, He did not sit there as King but one who was at the bottom carrying the weight of the world. The glory of God is found in Jesus’ service of love. Like He did with the Twelve, Jesus calls us to follow His example.
Jesus then sat down, the pose for a teacher, to point out to them the real face of glory. Real glory is found in real service. It is the service epitomized in the image of the suffering Jesus on the cross. It a service that exacts the payment of one’s life. In dying on the cross, Jesus served everyone His life. The Twelve had to understand this well.
The Servant of all gave us an example of humility, a humility that can only come from a child, from the Son. For while he was at the top of the mount of Calvary, He did not sit there as King but one who was at the bottom carrying the weight of the world. The glory of God is found in Jesus’ service of love. Like He did with the Twelve, Jesus calls us to follow His example.
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