Who is the Greatest

In the Gospel for this Sunday which is also “World Mission Day in the Catholic Church, we hear something quite startling. James and John who along with Peter were the inner circle among Jesus’ apostles, ask Jesus for a favour. They ask if they can sit on either side of him in his glory. Jesus replies that they do not know what they are asking and that such places are, “not mine to grant.”

The other apostles are understandably quite indignant about this.

Jesus calls the apostles to him and turns leadership on its head. They must not be like the rulers among the pagans and lord it over everyone. Greatness is about being servants and Jesus adds, “The Son of Man himself did not to come to be served but to serve.”

The heart of the matter

What is most important is our motivation, our inner life – the kind of person we are, our soul.

Would we dare to aspire to be the kind of servant leader Jesus was and which led him to the cross?

This challenge to be a servant leader is for each of us and also those who govern.

Perhaps one of the greatest Englishmen to accept this challenge was Thomas More who became Lord Chancellor in 1529 in the reign of King Henry VIII but was executed in 1535. He resigned when King Henry declared himself supreme head of the Church in England which enabled him to divorce his wife Catherine of Aragon and marry Anne Boleyn.

There are many similar examples of heroes who have forfeited their lives as servant leaders. No doubt we have our own examples.

Each day we are called to serve – our families, those we work with, friends and neighbours and society-  in one way or another. Many are martyrs by what they take on each day.

This Gospel is indeed a challenge for us all and if it was commonplace for individuals and world leaders to be servant leaders, the world would be very different.  

Before Thomas More was executed he proclaimed, “I die the Kings good servant but God’s first.”