Daily Reflection Memorial of Saint Jerome, Priest and Doctor of the Church

The disciples argued over which of them was the greatest. Their argument follows Jesus’ announcement that he would suffer and die and then rise again. But the disciples did not understand Jesus’ message. So they changed the subject, arguing over who was the greatest among themselves.

It is commonly said that money is the root of all evil. But if we follow the Bible we find that the real root of evil is pride. It began in the Garden of Eden with the serpent’s temptation to Adam and Eve. Pride allows us to think of ourselves as superior to others. Pride turns us toward ourselves, ignoring the concerns of others. Pride will distort our relationships. So, after Jesus announced the Paschal Mystery –  the crux of Christianity – the disciples became distracted by pride and turned to their own selfish goals.

The lesson we learn is to keep focused on Jesus Christ lest pride distract us. Here the child held by Jesus tells a tale. To be clear, this is no sentimental image of an adorable little kid tugging at our heartstrings. Jesus knew that a child had no rights. In fact, a slave would have more value than a child. Once again Jesus means to upend the world’s values. So if you want to be considered great, rein in the temptation to pride and serve the least.