My dear parishioners and visitors;
“For on the way they had argued with one another who was the greatest”. (Mk. 9:31).
Jesus, in today’s gospel reading (Mk. 9:30-37), tells his disciples about his passion, death and resurrection. However His disciples, being so occupied with their own selfish human ambition, do not understand His way of saving the world. His way of saving and building a just loving world is by and through an unselfish service given to all, especially to the weak, being identified with an image of a child, is completely helpless and dependent upon others.
St. James also taught that a selfish and envious ambition, accompanied and guided by self-seeking desire, is the cause of conflicts and a true ambition, motivated, inspired and guided by an unselfish generous spirit of serving and helping one another, especially the weak, is the answer for a good and peaceful world.
Today, people everywhere do need good leaders, truly committing themselves to an unselfish life of service to others, not to a self-seeking lifestyle of dominating and controlling others for their own glory, honour, fame and power. “For the Son of Man did not come to be served but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many” (Mk. 10:45). May those who are elected to serve be deeply inspired by Jesus’ teaching and example of loving service, to live, to govern and to serve as He did.
Have a blessed week.
Fr. Peter Hoan Nguyen.