Gospel
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."
Reflection
This Gospel made me reflect on the true intentions of the disciples as it said, "Jesus realized the intention of their hearts." It led me to wonder, what was truly in their hearts? The opening line, "An argument arose among the disciples about which of them was the greatest," was already not starting out in their favor, setting a tone of pride and self-interest. This argument shows a lack of humility, revealing that the disciples may have been seeking fame and notoriety for their actions. It makes it seem as though they thrived on the sense of superiority they felt when performing miracles in Jesus' name.
It made me question this next line “"Master, we saw someone casting out demons in your name and we tried to prevent him because he does not follow in our company”. Why did they try to prevent this man from casting out demons? Because he was not a follower of Jesus or a disciple in His company? Why then was he casting out demons in His name if he was not a follower? Perhaps they were prideful and they felt less "special" or "superior" because others could do what they believed was reserved for them as Jesus’ disciples. While we can never fully know what was in their hearts—that is between them and God—I believe Jesus' responses were aimed at teaching them humility, reminding them that their mission was not about personal status but about serving God’s will.
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