Today's gospel evoked memories of my childhood when I and my classmates were eager to be the first in line for lunch or recess. I vividly recall my Saint Mary's High School teachers gently guiding us to form an orderly line. Often, a student who had rushed to the front would be sent to the back, a lesson in humility. Sometimes, we would line up in alphabetical order, and those of us with names towards the end of the alphabet would playfully lament their fate. No matter the order, there was always a shared desire to be near the front, a desire for recognition and status that we all understand.
The 2024 NBA Playoffs have reached the conference finals stage, featuring intense matchups in the Eastern and Western Conferences. The Boston Celtics have dominated in the East, sweeping the Indiana Pacers 4-0 to secure their spot in the NBA Finals.
Golden State Warriors player Stephen Curry is one of the most prominent players in men's National Basketball. However, the Golden State Warriors did not make it to the main bracket of the 2024 NBA Playoffs. Aside from his excellent shooting touch and unbelievable ball-handling skills, Curry is known for a gesture he does every time he makes a shot. He taps his heart with his right hand and then points upwards. When asked about the meaning of this gesture and why he does it, I remember reading that he says it is to deflect the glory from himself and glorify the One who makes all things possible.
Stephen Curry recognizes that the glory he receives on the court is short-lived. But the witness he gives to his faith with that little gesture "will stay on forever" in the minds and hearts of all who witness it.
Peter warns against falling in love with vainglory. Instead, he recommends steadfastness to the word of the Lord, by which everything in the world is sustained and perfected. Taking some lines from the book of the prophet Isaiah (40:6-8), he wrote: "All people are like grass, and all their glory is like the flowers of the field; the grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of the Lord endures forever" (1 Peter 1:25).
In Mark 10:32-45, Jesus teaches his disciples that true greatness comes from serving others, not seeking status or recognition. This echoes Peter's warning against vainglory, emphasizing the eternal value of living according to God's word. Stephen Curry's gesture of pointing upwards after scoring is a humble reminder that all glory belongs to God, not us. Just as the grass withers and flowers fall, the transient glory of human achievements pales in comparison to the enduring word of the Lord.
Let us strive to live a life of service, finding joy not in being first but in uplifting others and glorifying God through our actions. This way, we follow Jesus' example, embracing humility and steadfastness in our faith.
Father Boby John, C.S.C., ordained a priest in the Congregation of Holy Cross in 2008, worked as a pastor and as an educator with tribal populations in Northeast India for thirteen years. Originally from Kerala, India, Father Boby grew up with three siblings. He is a dedicated and detailed educationist with experience in educational leadership. He is currently working as an executive assistant at the world headquarters of Holy Cross Family Ministries, North Easton, Massachusetts.
