Luke 9:46-50

Luke 9:46-50

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.”

Then John said in reply,

“Master, we saw someone casting out demons in your name

and we tried to prevent him

because he does not follow in our company.”

Jesus said to him,

“Do not prevent him, for whoever is not against you is for you.”

Opening Prayer: Heavenly Father, teach me to follow your Son along the way of discipleship. Free me from the desire for recognition and greatness, and give me a humble heart that gladly serves others. Help me to recognize Christ in those who are small, weak, or overlooked, and to rejoice whenever your grace is at work in others.

Encountering the Word of God

1. 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).

2. 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).

3. Do Not Prevent Him: The disciples’ desire for greatness appears again in John’s attempt to prevent another man from casting out demons in Jesus’ name. The man’s offense? He “does not follow in our company.” The disciples seem to regard their association with Jesus as something exclusive: if someone is not part of their group, he should not be allowed to act in Jesus’ name. Jesus corrects them: “Do not prevent him, for whoever is not against you is for you.” There is a subtle form of pride in wanting to control who receives recognition or who is allowed to participate in God's work. We can be tempted to think that because we belong to a particular parish, movement, apostolate, profession, or organization, we have a special claim upon the work of Christ. We may even become jealous when someone outside our circle succeeds in doing something good. Jesus teaches his disciples to rejoice in the good that others accomplish rather than regard it as competition. God’s grace is not a limited resource, nor does another person’s success diminish our own vocation. The mission belongs to Christ, not to us. We are called to cooperate with his work wherever we find it, giving thanks whenever truth is proclaimed, goodness is accomplished, or another person is brought closer to God. True humility therefore involves more than thinking less of ourselves. It also means being willing to let others receive credit, to welcome their contributions, and to rejoice when God works through people who are not part of our particular circle. The humble disciple does not ask, “Are they one of us?” but rather, “Is Christ being served?”

Conversing with Christ: Lord Jesus, teach me to walk with you along the road to Jerusalem. Free me from my desire to be noticed, honored, or considered important. Give me the humility to serve without recognition and the generosity to rejoice in the good others accomplish. May I seek only to know you, love you, and advance your Kingdom.

Living the Word of God: Where am I tempted to seek recognition, status, or influence rather than simply serve Christ and others? Whom might I be overlooking because that person seems unimportant, inconvenient, or unable to offer me anything in return? Do I sometimes view the success or good work of others as competition? How can I encourage and rejoice in the good that God is accomplishing through them?