James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came to Jesus and said to him, “Teacher, we want you to do for us whatever we ask of you.” He replied “What do you wish me to do for you?” They answered him, “Grant that in your glory we may sit one at your right and the other at your left.” Jesus said to them, “You do not know what you are asking. Can you drink the cup that I drink or be baptized with the baptism with which I am baptized?” They said to him, “We can.” Jesus said to them, “The cup that I drink, you will drink, and with the baptism with which I am baptized, you will be baptized; but to sit at my right or at my left is not mine to give but is for those for whom it has been prepared.” When the ten heard this, they became indignant at James and John. Jesus summoned them and said to them, “You know that those who are recognized as rulers over the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones make their authority over them felt. But it shall not be so among you. Rather, whoever wishes to be great among you will be your servant; whoever wishes to be first among you will be the slave of all. For the Son of Man did not come to be served but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many.” 

There is a difference between self-knowledge and selfishness. Peter Parker/Spider-man did not understand the difference as the movie "Spider-man 3" began. Life was comfortable for him. As he said, "Now people like me. The city is safe and sound. Guess I had a little something to do with that. I still go to school, top of my class. And I'm in love with the girl of my dreams." But he looked at life in terms of what it could give him, that is, in a selfish way. His love for Mary Jane was a love that did not put her first; he thought that saving the world was something that he could accomplish alone; he had a too little understanding of true self-knowledge. There are two consequences of such selfishness. It destroys the perspective we have on what is happening in the present, and it leads us to make choices that are harmful to ourselves and others in the future. 

It is interesting to look at the psychology of the passage in Mark’s Gospel in which the Apostles ask Jesus for some favors. Immediately before this passage, the human Jesus may have desired a little sympathy, or at least a little understanding as he prepared for the end of his earthly life.

Instead of sympathy, he encounters people interested in their own concerns. First of all, James and John approach Jesus asking him for a place of importance in his kingdom. Then the other disciples become jealous of James and John, and everyone becomes angry. Jesus, almost exasperated, one would guess, teaches them about one of the most important elements of Christianity, namely, service: "Whoever wishes to be great among you, will be your servant." Service was what his dying and rising was all about. Service was to be the hallmark of his kingdom.

A person who truly serves another cannot be selfish. Even though Spider-man was the protector and servant of the city, he had not understood completely the whole thought of being a servant. He had to understand his selfishness first, and only then could he be the person he wanted to be.

We must hear the negative message of selfishness. For a Christian, life is not a matter of who is more important, or who has the most power; it is a matter of service. If we want to understand leadership or maturity, we must have some knowledge of what our selfishness will do to us, and the way to learn it is to understand how to truly serve others.              

THOUGHT
 
PRAYER

Good and gracious God, if we want to be followers of your Son, we must be people dedicated to the thought of service of others. But so often, we only think selfishly. Help us recognize that even as we have to take care of our own needs, we also have to serve others. Be with us, we pray.

Questions, comments? Let me know. Email Fr. Mike

©2007 Capuchin Province of Mid-America
Fr. Mike Scully is a member of the Capuchin Province of Mid-America