A choice is put before us in today’s Gospel: the way of the cross or the way of earthly honor and glory. Jesus continues in today’s Gospel to teach his disciples that he is to be a suffering Messiah. In yesterday’s Gospel Peter rebuked Jesus for this teaching and Jesus in turn rebuked Peter. In today’s Gospel Jesus continues to teach the way of the cross. “Whoever wishes to come after me must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me. For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake and that of the Gospel will save it.” The disciples still stumble and struggle over this teaching. They are still seeking earthly glory and honor, not the way of the cross: “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.” (9:33-34). Jesus is patient with his disciples and continues to teach them how different his way is from the way of kings and rulers:
“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.” (Mark 10:42-45).
Jesus’ way, the way of the cross, is the way of service and sacrifice. Jesus teaches us the God’s way is one of humility and service: Jesus declares that he “did not come to be served but to serve.” His way is the way of sacrifice: Jesus came “to give his life as a ransom for many.”
Our age, like Jesus’ age, oftentimes views greatness as honor, glory, and power. As Christians we are called and challenged to follow Jesus’ way of service and sacrifice. This way is the way to true greatness. This teaching of Jesus is almost counterintuitive and is certainly challenging. Like the first disciples Jesus is patient with us as he teaches us each day and shows us the true way by his own life, death, and resurrection.
Image: “Christ calling His Disciples by Edward Armitage” by juan50300 is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 2.0.