Mark 9:30-37 Today’s gospel finds the disciples in an awkward silence. They have been arguing on the road about which of them was the greatest, and almost certainly overheard by Jesus. Their concern with their own ranking is very human; so often we define ourselves by what we do or the positions we hold rather than focusing on the person we are. Taken too far, this can lead to the disharmony that we hear of in the second reading – with the human values of status and ambition interfering with our ability to focus on God. The first reading from the book of Wisdom, describes the traps being laid to try and distract the virtuous man from his path.
In any society there is a need for some to be able to make decisions for a community to grow. Finding the right style of leadership can be a challenge, yet Jesus shows the disciples an important measure – true leadership is determined by how one treats the least among us. Once again, there is the contrast between God’s values and those of society; yet, as the psalmist says, we have nothing to fear if we remember that we have God for our help.