Bài đọc Tin Mừng hôm nay cho chúng ta thấy được những sự kiện quan trọng trong sứ vụ công khai của Chúa Giêsu Kitô: Ông Phêrô đã tuyên xưng đức tin ông và tin vào Chúa Giêsu, Ngài là Đấng Thiên sai của Thiên Chúa, đã tiên đoán về sự đau khổ về cuộc khổ nạn của Ngài và cái chết và sự phục sinh của Ngài và Ngài cũng đã tõ mình ra trong cuộc biến mình với Môi-se và Ê-li trước mặt các tông đồ Phêrô, Giacôbê và Gioan.
Đây chính trong bối cảnh này mà Chúa Giêsu thấy các môn đệ tranh cãi về cái tôi, về cái chức quyền của họ "Họ đã tranh cãi là ai trong số họ là người lớn nhất." Và Chúa Giêsu đã giáo huấn họ, dạy cho họ biết được cái giá trị của của mỗi người chúng ta trong nước của Thiên Chúa, và Ngài đã mang một đứa trẻ trước mặt họ, "Ai đón chào những đứa trẻ này vì danh thầy, là đón chào thầy, và ai chào đón thầy, thì đón chào Đấng đã sai thầy và hãy nghe đây. nếu một ai trong các người được coi như thè nhỏ nhất hay thấp kém nhất trong số tất cả các con, Thì người ấy là một con người vĩ đại nhất. "
Trong giá trị của Thiên Chúa, người lớn nhất vĩ đại nhất là nhỏ nhất và thấp kém. Thật là vinh phuc cho ngững ai có tinh thần của người nghèo... Những người than khóc... Hiền lành... Những ai đói khát vì sự công chính... Những ai bị bách hại vì sự công chính." (Mt 5: 3-10)
Con Thiên Chúa "Ngài đã hủy mình ra không, là lĩnh lấy thân phận tôi đòi, trở thành giống hẳn người ta; đem thân đội lốt người phàm, 8 Ngài đã hạ mình thấp hèn, trở thành vâng phục cho đến chết, và là cái chết thập giá! 9 Bởi vậy Thiên Chúa đã siêu tôn Ngài! và ban cho Ngài Danh hiệu vượt quá mọi danh hiệu,"(Phil 2: 7-9)
Để theo Đức Giêsu kitô là đi theo con người đầy tờ khiêm tốn, đau khồ, ""Nếu ai muốn đi sau Ta, thì hãy chối bỏ chính mình, hãy vác lấy khổ giá của mình và hãy theo Ta. 3" (Mc 8: 34)
Our gospel reading today follows key events in our Lord's public ministry: Peter's profession of faith in him as the Messiah of God, his prediction of his suffering, death and resurrection and his transfiguration with Moses and Elijah before the apostles Peter, James and John.
It is in this context that Jesus finds his disciples arguing "about which of them was the greatest." And Jesus educates them in God's value system by bringing in a little child before them, "Whoever welcomes this little child in my name, welcomes me; and whoever welcomes me, welcomes the one who sent me. And listen: the one who is found to be the least among you all, is the one who is the greatest."
In God's value system, the least is the greatest. For "fortunate are those who have the spirit of the poor. . . those who mourn. . . the gentle. . . those who hunger and thirst for . . . those who are persecuted for the cause of justice." (Mt 5: 3 – 10)
The Son of God "emptied himself, taking the nature of a servant, made in human likeness. . . humbled himself by being obedient to death, death on the cross. That is why God exalted him and gave him the Name which outshines all names." (Phil 2: 7 – 9)
The following of Jesus is the following of the humble Suffering Servant, "If you want to follow me, deny yourself take up your cross and follow me." (Mk 8: 34)
An argument arose among the disciples about which of them was the greatest. Jesus realized the intention of their hearts and took a child and placed it by his side and said to them, “Whoever receives this child in my name receives me, and whoever receives me receives the one who sent me. For the one who is least among all of you is the one who is the greatest.” Luke 9:48
This conversation between Jesus and His disciples took place shortly after three events. First, it took place after the disciples returned from the first mission on which Jesus had sent them. Second, it was after Peter made his profession of faith stating that Jesus was “The Messiah of God.” Third, it occurred after the Transfiguration in which Jesus took Peter, James and John up the mountain to reveal His glory. After these three events, it appears that a certain rivalry began to manifest itself among the disciples. Perhaps there was jealousy of Peter’s profession of faith, or perhaps the disciples who were not taken up the mountain of the Transfiguration were a bit envious. But whatever the cause, Jesus addresses what is the beginning of a desire for vainglory among the disciples.
In commenting on this passage, Saint Cyril of Alexandria notes that in the spiritual battle, the devil’s first tactic is to stir up fleshly desires within our souls to keep us bound by the desire for those pleasures. However, when a person is able to escape these more base and fleshly desires, then the devil stirs up a spiritual sin; namely, a selfishness and vainglory. It is this desire for vainglory, the desire to be perceived as the greatest, with which the disciples were struggling.
Our Lord addresses the disciples after He “realized the intention of their hearts.” This is a very important line. Essentially, Jesus noticed that the desire for vainglory was just beginning. By analogy, when a weed begins to grow, it is easily pulled up by the roots. But if it is left to grow for a while, then the roots are more difficult to pull up, and doing so often affects the other plants and ground around the weed. So it is with sin. By gently bringing a child into their midst and stating that “the one who is least among you is the one who is the greatest,” Jesus was helping them to remove this “weed” of the sin of vainglory before it took deep root in their lives. As Jesus continues His conversation with the disciples, He continues to act with gentleness, addressing their slight error in their reasoning.
This is important to understand, because our Lord always desires to address our sin the very moment it begins. If we are open to His subtle promptings of grace, gently redirecting our actions the moment we begin to go astray, then our attentiveness to His loving rebuke will help keep us from becoming more deeply rooted in our error, whatever it may be. Establishing a practice of constant self-reflection greatly helps with this. Establishing this habit means we do not see our Lord as a harsh and critical Judge; rather, we see Him in His gentleness and care. This image of Jesus gently bringing a child before the disciples so as to teach them about true greatness should help us to realize that we should never fear these gentle promptings of grace.
Reflect, today, upon our Lord appearing before you, gently addressing the small sins with which you are struggling. Of course, all serious sins must be firmly dealt with first. But once all serious sin is rooted out of your life, be attentive to the gentle and merciful promptings of grace by which Jesus wants to root out every small sin at its beginning and even every spiritual imperfection. Attentiveness to these graces is the surest way to grow in holiness and to allow our Lord to lead you into His glorious will, making you truly great within His Kingdom.
My most merciful and gentle Jesus, I thank You for the many ways in which You come to me, revealing Your love and grace. Please help me to see clearly the ways that I must change, so that even the beginnings of the smallest sin in my life may be rooted out. I love You, my Lord. Help me to love You with all my heart. Jesus, I trust in You
1. True Greatness: In her Magnificat (Luke 1:46-55), Mary spoke about the humbling of the prideful and the exaltation of the lowly. In the Sermon on the Plain (Luke 6:20-49), Jesus spoke about how the poor, the hungry, those who mourn, and those who are hated on account of him are blessed. The argument in today’s Gospel about who is the greatest among the disciples shows that they have not learned the lesson about what true greatness consists in. Once again, Jesus had to teach them the way of humility. Jesus offered the example of welcoming a child. When you receive a child, you receive someone who has many needs. A child is not independent or self-sufficient and needs food, clothing, shelter, attention, education, discipline, love, and many other things. Receiving a child in Jesus’ name means giving of yourself, your time, and your treasure, without expecting anything in return or repayment. “The one who receives such lowly and weak members of society receives Jesus and the Father who sent him. Moreover, becoming the least through service of others is the true indicator of who is greatest (22:26-27)” (Gadenz, The Gospel of Luke, 190).
2. In the Company of Jesus: On the way to Jerusalem, Jesus’ disciples need more formation to understand the way of discipleship and to be equipped for their mission. “This will be one of Jesus’ principal tasks during the long journey to Jerusalem” (Gadenz, The Gospel of Luke, 191). During the upcoming month of October, the daily Gospel will be taken from Luke’s account of the journey. We, like the disciples, will be given the keys to discipleship and be equipped for our mission. Jesus will instruct us on prayer (Luke 11:1-13), on not being afraid or worried (12:1-12, 22-34), on being vigilant (12:35-48), on faith (17:5-6), and on accepting the kingdom like children (18:15-17). He will speak to us on the radical commitment involved in being his disciple (14:26-27, 33). We will hear the parables of the good Samaritan (10:29-37), the rich fool (12:16-21), the prodigal son (15:11-32), the dishonest steward (16:1-8), the rich man and Lazarus (16:19-31), the persistent widow (18:1-8), and the Pharisee and the tax collector (18:9-14) (see Gadenz, The Gospel of Luke, 193-194).
3. The Book of Job: All this week, the First Reading will be taken from the Book of Job. The main question in the book is: Why do the righteous and the innocent suffer? “The Book of Job wrestles with some of life’s biggest questions. Most concern what it means to serve God, to suffer in God’s presence, and to surrender ourselves to God, even when we do not have all the answers” (Ignatius Catholic Study Bible: Job, 14). The book opens by presenting Job as a righteous man. It is not Satan who points out Job’s righteousness to God, but God who points out Job’s righteousness to Satan. The book shows that Satan is incapable of truly understanding Job’s righteousness. Satan thinks that it is only because Job has wealth and health that he strives to be in a right relationship with God. Satan “accuses Job of selfish interests, insinuating that he serves God merely for the worldly benefits of peace and prosperity that he receives in return (1:9-11)” (Ignatius Catholic Study Bible: Job, 14). As the story of Job unfolds and Job loses his family, his flocks, and his health, we will see whether Job passes the trial of his faith. “Can he live as a righteous man without thought of temporal reward? Or will suffering and deprivation harden his heart and turn him against God?” (Ignatius Catholic Study Bible: Job, 14).
Conversing with Christ: Lord Jesus, bring me along the journey to Jerusalem. I want to hear and welcome your word along the way. Teach me how to be a true disciple of yours. Empowered by your grace, I promise to conform my life to your Gospel.
Opening Prayer: Lord, thank you for this time to reflect on your word. Help me to draw from it a message you have for me personally today.
The Disciples Argued: In retrospect, imagine listening in on what sounded like petty bickering among men who would become the first pope and pillars of the future church. That they were arguing, among all things, for a place of position seems outrageous knowing how holy these men eventually became. This incident speaks to the awesome and gratuitous transforming power of God! None of us deserve sainthood, but when we bend our hearts toward Jesus and follow in his footsteps, he graciously softens our hard edges, tames our restlessness, and stretches our capacity to love until we are able to love as he does. Then, the desire of the Father is fulfilled for us and we are made worthy, by his doing, to join him one day in heaven for all eternity.
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