The Holy Great-Martyr Artemius (360-363)
Colossians 3:17-4:1; Luke 9:44-50
Read Luke 9:44-50
Glory to Jesus Christ! Glory forever!
The disciples show they have not yet understood the central teaching of the Beatitudes: That I gain myself when I give myself up to God and neighbour.
Why would the disciples start arguing about power after being recently chastised by Jesus a few verses prior to today’s reading and also hearing the prediction of the crucifixion? It is entirely possible that the disciples were arguing about who was the weakest person of faith and thus responsible for their collective inability to heal the demon-possessed boy (Luke 9:37-42). Ultimately Jesus healed the boy after chastising them for their lack of faith. The disciples experienced failure and this created in them a sense of shame. They were left with a decision on how to deal with shame: allow it to grow a healthy sense of humility by accepting reality and focusing on positive change through reliance on God’s providential care and grace. Or allowing it to foster a sense of self-justification and blame toward others. The latter attitude creates in us a prideful superiority complex, which closes our hearts to God and our neighbour, while the former allows God to penetrate our hearts to transform them into a childlike disposition; thus leading us to true greatness.