“… whoever wishes to be great among you shall be your servant; whoever wishes to be first among you shall be your slave. Just so, the Son of Man did not come to be served but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many.” (Mt 20: 26-28)

It is the normal desire for so many of us: parents want greatness for their children, students long for greatness for their future, workers yearn for great jobs, and young people desire a great life. This is normal and natural for us because we are God’s children, and we are born to be great. God shows us the way in which we can achieve greatness, not by domination over others but in service: “the Son of Man did not come to be served but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

“I am the light of the world, says the Lord; whoever follows me will have the light of life.” (Gospel Acclamation)

“Come now, let us set things right, says the LORD: though your sins be like scarlet, they may become white as snow; though they be crimson red, they may become white as wool.” (Is 1: 18)

Setting “things right” is God’s project for us: our hearts should be free from sins and “become white as snow … and wool” because our hearts are the unique place where God makes His dwelling.

“Cast away from you all the crimes you have committed, says the LORD, and make for yourselves a new heart and a new spirit.” (Gospel Acclamation)

“Give and gifts will be given to you; a good measure, packed together, shaken down, and overflowing, will be poured into your lap. For the measure with which you measure will in return be measured out to you.” (Lk 6: 38)

How often our measure is based on the gifts we give. The more we give, the more we expect to receive. Our Lord changed this perspective: first is the gift “given to you: a good measure, packed together, shaken down and overflowing.” Only when we are packed can we share; when we are empty, we are only focused on where and how to receive. His love and generosity is always first; we can follow His example and can learn from Him.

“Your words, Lord, are Spirit and life; you have the words of everlasting life.” (Gospel Acclamation)

“If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son but handed him over for us all,  how will he not also give us everything else along with him?” (Rom 8: 31-32)

When we give a nice gift to our friends, we give them … a nice gift. When we give ourselves as a gift, we give “also . . . everything else along with” us. We are invited not only to give nice gifts but also to be a gift: total, free, creative and joyful. Total, because if we are not totally in, we are not in at all; free, because only in freedom can we be a gift; creative, because love is creative; and joyful, because everyone loves a joyful giver. God is first in our lives as a Giver and Gift: “He did not spare His own Son,” and He gave Him “for us all.”

“From the shining cloud the Father’s voice is heard: this is my beloved Son, listen to him.” (Gospel Acclamation)