AGAINST THE HIERARCHY OF POWER
James and John come up to Jesus with a strange petition: to occupy the seats of honor next to him. «You don’t know what you are asking». That’s what Jesus says. They haven’t understood anything of his project at the service of God’s reign and God’s justice. They aren’t thinking about «following him», but about «sitting» in the first seats.
When the other ten see their position, «they began to feel indignant». They too nourish ambitious dreams. They all seek to obtain some power, honor or prestige. The scene is scandalous. How can you welcome a God who is Father and work for a more fraternal world with a group of disciples enlivened with this spirit?
Jesus’ thinking is clear: «Among you this is not to happen». They need to go in the exact opposite direction. They need to cast out of their movement of followers that «sickness» of power that everyone knows in the empire of Tiberius and the governorship of Antipas. A power that does nothing but «tyrannize» and «oppress».
Among his own there mustn’t exist that hierarchy of power. No one is above the rest. There’s aren’t masters and owners. The parish doesn’t belong to the pastor. The Church doesn’t belong to the bishops and cardinals. The people don’t belong to the theologians. Whoever wants to be great must put themselves at the service of everyone.
The true model is Jesus. He doesn’t govern, impose, dominate or control. He isn’t ambitious for any power. He doesn’t take on honorific titles. He doesn’t seek his own interest. What he does is «serve» and «give his life». That’s what’s first and greatest.
In the Church we need Christians ready to spend their life for Jesus’ project, not for any other interests. Believers without personal ambitions, who work silently for a more human world and a more evangelical Church. Followers of Jesus who «impose their authority» by the quality of their life of service.
Parents who give their lives for their children, teachers given over day by day to their difficult job, men and women who have made of their life a service to those in need. These are the best we have in the Church. These are the «greatest» in Jesus’ eyes.
José Antonio Pagola
Translator: Fr. Jay VonHandorf
