indeed drink my cup; but to sit at my right or at my left is not for me to grant. That will be for those for whom my Father has prepared it.” The other ten heard all this, and were angry with the two brothers. Then Jesus called them to him and said, “You know that the rulers of nations behave like tyrants, and the powerful oppress them. It shall not be so among you: whoever wants to be great in your community, let him minister to the community. And if you want to be the first of all, make yourself the servant of all. Be like the Son of Man, who came not to be served, but to serve, and to give his life to redeem many.”

Reflections
MAKE YOURSELF THE SERVANT OF ALL
Jesus as a Formator never ceased to point out to his disciples the difference between the values of the world and the values of the Kingdom of God he was establishing on earth. One of the most glaring contrast of these two values is the understanding of power. The world’s view of power is to use it for domination, exploitation, oppression or for vainglory. When one has wealth or in a position of power, one expects adulation, admiration, praise, prestige. One wants to be in the center of everything. One can also use power to coerce people to do what one wants them to do, to exploit their gifts to augment one’s wealth. Worse still, one can use power to cause suffering to people who oppose and do not follow one’s will. In contrast to this, Jesus wishes us to use power for the good of people, to serve them in their needs, to make them bloom. Pope Francis is truly a disciple of Jesus in this regard. He uses the power and prestige of the papacy to give joy to people, to heal the sick, to denounce those who cause poverty and suffering in the world.

© Copyright Bible Diary 2018