In today’s Gospel we hear how two brothers, who belonged to the innermost circle of Jesus’s disciples, boldly ask him, “Give us the two top places in your Kingdom “. It is clear that they had no understanding of how Jesus would triumph–by emptying himself to the lowest human level, and only then enter his Kingdom. Understandably, the other Disciples felt angry, because the two brothers had gone behind their backs. Their understanding of Jesus was no better. So now Jesus brings them all together, and tells them of his view of greatness and success. There is only one way to greatness, and it is His way.
Greatness consists not in what we have, or in what we can get from others, but in what we can give of ourselves to others. Like James and John, and the other Disciples, like Mother Theresa and many others, we are all called to be missionaries– most of us right here, where we are. We need to hear Jesus’s words about where true greatness lies. It is a message that is not always easy to hear. We are all called to be, not only Disciples and followers, but also Apostles and Missionaries–living our Christian life fully, sharing it and witnessing to it in our daily lives. Not always easy to hear. We are all called to be not only Disciples, and followers, but also Apostles and Missionaries-living our Christian life fully, sharing it and witnessing to it in our daily lives.