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Sunday, September 23, 2012

Jesus teaching His Apostles

This Sunday's Gospel has Jesus taking his Apostles aside to teach them. He tries again to tell them that He is going to be put to death but will rise on the third day. They do not seem to hear him. Instead, as they walk along, they are arguing over who is greatest and Jesus needs to tell them that the first shall be last and that they need to become childlike. He actually takes a child to show them by example. I thought this time when I read the Gospel that the Heart of Jesus must have hurt when his chosen ones seemed so indifferent to his telling them that he was to suffer and die - they just do not seem to get it and so act as if they have not heard him. I think Jesus was more patient and understanding than most teachers would be. He had taken them apart to teach them and they do not even seem to listen to him. They do not understand and so just seem to dismiss what he is trying to tell them. So, Jesus waits, lets them talk to each other, and then he asks them what they are arguing about on the way. This gives him a new opportunity to teach them about humility, about serving others, and about being open and trusting as a child.

The picture invites reflection on the way Jesus is leading each of us.

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