Imagine you’re at a family dinner. Everyone’s talking about their jobs, their promotions, their new cars. Your uncle brags about his new vacation home. Your cousin mentions her fancy job title. Then your little niece of 4 years tugs your sleeve and says, “Look! I drew you a picture!” Suddenly, the room becomes quiet. No one knows what to do with her crayon scribbles. But you take the drawing, tape it to the fridge, and say, “This is my favorite thing here.”
Big Egos
That’s what Jesus is talking about today in the gospel. His disciples are arguing about who is the “best” follower—like kids fighting over who is the teacher’s favorite. Jesus sits them down and says, “You want to be great? Then be the last. Serve everyone. And pay attention to the people no one else notices” (Mark 9:35). Then He points to a child—someone with no power, no status—and says, “When you welcome someone like this, then you are welcoming me.”
Don’t we all spend so much time trying to be “the best”—the best employee, the best parent, the best at our hobbies. But Jesus says the real prize is not a trophy. It’s the quiet moments when you help someone who can’t help you back. Think of Jesus—the Lion of Judah, choosing to be the Lamb of God. He swapped heaven’s throne for a manger, a crown of stars for thorns. Why? To show us that real power is not in flexing, it’s in bending down.
Leaving a Worthy Legacy
A CEO once told me that his proudest moment wasn’t closing a million-dollar deal. It was coaching his niece’s losing soccer team. “They didn’t win a game,” he says. “But they all ate ice cream and laughed a lot. Now years later those kids text him about their lives. That’s leaving legacy.” Think of a nurse who stays up late holding a worried patient’s hand. A teacher who spends her own money on extra school supplies. A neighbor who shovels your driveway for free. These people aren’t famous, but they’re heroes.
Loving Simply
Jesus uses a child to drive home this point because kids don’t care about money or fame. They care about fairness, kindness, and who shared their cookies with them. We adults complicate things. We worry about what people think. We hold grudges. We chase things that don’t matter. Jesus says, “Be more like kids. Love simply. Serve gladly.”
Try this today. First, notice the “invisible” people: The janitor at work. The shy kid in your child’s class. The elderly person eating alone. Smile. Say their name. Second, do one thing that won’t go on your résumé: Babysit for free. Help someone carry groceries. Listen to a friend vent.
A man I know spent years climbing the corporate ladder. Then his dad got sick. He quit his job to care for him. A few months later a colleague of him said, “You wasted your potential.” He replied, “Sitting with Dad, holding his hand—that was the greatest thing he had ever done.”
Getting Our Priorities Straight
Jesus isn’t asking you to quit your job or give away all your money. He’s asking you to reset your heart. Stop chasing what the world calls “great,” and start serving, loving, and noticing the people right in front of you. That’s how you change the world. One crayon drawing at a time.
“Whoever welcomes a child..." —or a janitor, a stranger, a crying coworker— "welcomes Me” (Mark 9:37). Now go and crash someone’s meeting with ice cream.
- Father Boby's inspirational homily was recorded live during Mass at the Father Peyton Center this morning. You can view the Mass (and the Rosary at the 30-minute mark) on the Family Rosary YouTube page.
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