Friday after the Eleventh Sunday after Trinity Sunday
Posted on August 25, 2023 by under
Scripture: St. Mark 9:33-37 (NKJV)
9:33 Then He came to Capernaum. And when He was in the house He asked them, “What was it you disputed among yourselves on the road?” 34 But they kept silent, for on the road they had disputed among themselves who would be the greatest. 35 And He sat down, called the twelve, and said to them, “If anyone desires to be first, he shall be last of all and servant of all.” 36 Then He took a little child and set him in the midst of them. And when He had taken him in His arms, He said to them, 37 “Whoever receives one of these little children in My name receives Me; and whoever receives Me, receives not Me but Him who sent Me.”
Devotion
“He who dies with the most toys wins.” Yes, the phrase is intended to be somewhat facetious. Nevertheless, it illustrates the point that being the greatest or being first all depends on how you define greatness or “firstness”. We know that the disciples were arguing about “who would be the greatest,” but we don’t know what their criteria was in order to claim greatness for themselves, or to dethrone the greatness of another. Their reasons were probably worldly.
Jesus does not chastise them for the desire to “be first.” He teaches them that the spiritual criteria for greatness is service. As regards salvation before God, we can offer Him nothing of value—even our good works are as sinful rags. We are saved by Jesus, the greatest Servant of all, who came not to be served, but to serve us, and give up His life for our forgiveness and salvation.
As we regard our neighbor, we are to be a “servant of all.” Now that we are saved, our neighbor—even the little child in our midst—needs our service.
Prayer: Almighty and Everlasting God, Who art always more ready to hear than we to pray, and art wont to give more than either we desire or deserve: Pour down upon us the abundance of Thy mercy, forgiving us those things whereof our conscience is afraid, and giving us those good things which we are not worthy to ask, but through the merits and mediation of Jesus Christ, Thy Son, our Lord, Who liveth and reigneth with Thee and the Holy Ghost, ever One God, world without end. Amen.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
