No other way

Just a month ago, we saw in our Sunday Gospel Reading from St. Mark ch. 9 that the EGO can be our greatest enemy. And this was evident even among the closest apostles of Christ. In today’s Gospel Reading from the very next chapter of St. Mark, here we are again with the very same apostles – still vying with one another who would be more in power and closer to the source of power.

With the utmost patience, Jesus reiterates his teaching that the only way to really be close to him is to serve rather than be served, and this is where the greatness of a person really lies. "Anyone among you who aspires to greatness must serve the rest; whoever wants to rank first among you must serve the needs of all. The Son of Man has not come to be served but to serve – to give his life in ransom for the many." (Mk. 10: 43-45).

Needless to say, one must possess some form of power to be of service to others – whether that power be physical, material, intellectual, moral-spiritual, or a combination of them all. Throughout his own life, Christ never failed to use his power FOR others, and NOT power OVER others. This was the stamp and trademark of his leadership. For him, there was no other way. If we consider him as our Christ the King, our Christ the Savior, our Christ the Almighty, then there is no other way. To rule is to serve, and to serve is to give of one’s self. I repeat. There is no other way.

But wait! There is a twist here that we must add to complete the picture. This power to serve does not mean invulnerability. Rather, it means to give and to receive. The power to serve involves vulnerability. Giving and receiving. Our service to others includes our allowing ourselves to receive from them. Refusing to receive in fact is a way of being in control.

As teacher and counselor, this is a constant lesson for me. Teaching and counseling are both acts of giving. But when my student or counselee tells me that he/she will be praying for me, at that moment we change roles. He/she is now the giver, and I am the receiver.

The Gospel narratives give us glimpses of Jesus receiving from others. He was ministered to when he ate at people’s homes. He asked the Samaritan woman at the well for a drink of water. From the time he was born, his dependence on the love of Mary, Joseph, and others for his nurturance and growth was part of what propelled him to serve and give in return. Until he gave his very life for the ransom of many.

This past October 17, we Jesuits celebrated the 10th death anniversary of our beloved missionary – martyr, Richie Fernando, S. J. I said "celebrated" because his untimely death was not only a most tragic loss to us all, but also a glorious victory of selfless love and service to God’s poor.

As a young, Jesuit seminarian, Richie went to Cambodia in May 1995 for missionary work. He was assigned to serve at the Technical School for the Handicapped in Phnom Penh. The students were mostly victims of landmines. Richie was deeply affected by the lives of these poor people. He later wrote to his dear friend, Totet Banaynal, S. J. here in Manila:

"I know where my heart is... it is with Jesus who gave his all for the poor, the sick, and the orphans, etc.... I am convinced that this is my vocation/mission here.... I honestly believe that to die for our poor friends here will be the greatest gift that God can give us. And I continually pray for that grace everyday."

Little did he know (or did he?) what a prophetic message he was writing. For on October 17, 1996, a disgruntled student was about to throw a grenade at a classroom full of students. It was just in time that Richie was able to stop him. But in the struggle, the grenade dropped and exploded behind Richie – killing him on the spot. He saved the lives of many, including that of the disgruntled student holding the grenade – at the cost of his own. Richie was 26 years old. His dear friend Totet is now a Jesuit priest doing missionary work precisely in Cambodia, where Richie had given his all. The mission continues...

Today is World Mission Sunday. Let us pray for all missionaries as they spread God’s life and message of love, justice, and peace. Amen.