"The purpose of life is not to
win. The purpose of life is to grow and to share. When you come to look back on
all that you have done in life, you will get more satisfaction from the
pleasure you have brought into other people's lives than you will from the
times that you outdid and defeated them." -Rabbi Harold Kushner: (is a
prominent American rabbi)
Gospel Text: (JN 13:16-20)
When Jesus had washed the disciples'
feet, he said to them:
"Amen, amen, I say to you, no
slave is greater than his master
nor any messenger greater than the one
who sent him.
If you understand this, blessed are
you if you do it.
I am not speaking of all of you.
I know those whom I have chosen.
But so that the Scripture might be
fulfilled,
The one who ate my food has raised
his heel against me.
From now on I am telling you before it
happens,
so that when it happens you may
believe that I AM.
Amen, amen, I say to you, whoever
receives the one I send
receives me, and whoever receives me
receives the one who sent me."
In the
Gospel reading Jesus stresses that "the servant is not greater than his
master, nor is the messenger greater than he who sent him." At the same
time Jesus said that, for him, leadership is shown in service, "If someone
wants to be first, let him be last of all and servant of all." (Mk 9: 35)
He also said, "The so-called rulers of nations act as tyrants and their
great ones oppress them. But it shall not be among you: whoever would be great
among you must be your servant and whoever would be first among you shall make
himself slave of all." (Mk 10:43- 44)
Jesus also stresses that "whoever
welcomes the one I send, welcomes me, and whoever welcomes me, welcomes the One
who sent me." When the disciples are welcomed, they are welcoming Jesus
who had sent them; and when they welcome Jesus, they welcome the heavenly
Father who had sent him.
We pray that we learn and live
according to Christ's ideal of leadership, which is really service to others.
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