Sustainable Greatness

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oday, we reflect on the Gospel of Mark 9:30–37, where Jesus teaches his disciples a profound lesson about humility, service, and care for the vulnerable. As we journey through the Season of Creation, we are invited to see how this message applies not only to our relationships with each other but also to our relationship with all of God’s creation and God as our Father.

In the Gospel, Jesus speaks to his disciples about his upcoming passion and death, but they fail to understand the gravity of his words. Instead, they get caught up in arguing among themselves about who is the greatest. When Jesus realizes this, he calls them to a deeper understanding of greatness by saying, “If anyone wishes to be first, he shall be the last of all and the servant of all.” To illustrate his point, he takes a child, places the child in their midst, and embraces the child, saying, “Whoever receives one child such as this in my name receives me.”

Children as a Symbol of the Vulnerable

Children, in the time of Jesus, were among the most vulnerable members of society. They had no social status or power, making them dependent on the care, love, and protection of others. Jesus’ placing a child in their midst and instructing his disciples to welcome and care for such children was a radical challenge to their understanding of power and greatness. It was a reminder that true and "sustainable greatness" lies not in being served, but in serving, especially those who cannot repay us—the vulnerable and the marginalized.

As we reflect on this passage during the Season of Creation, we can extend the image of the child to all of creation. Just as children are meant to be cared for, protected, and nurtured, so too are the creatures and natural world that surround us. The earth and its creatures—like the children in the Gospel—are vulnerable and need our protection. They have no voice in the decisions we make that affect the environment, yet they are deeply impacted by the ways we live and treat the earth.

In the same way that Jesus calls us to care for the least among us, he also calls us to care for the earth and all its creatures. The forests, oceans, rivers, birds, animals, and plants—these are all part of God’s creation entrusted to our stewardship. We are called not to dominate or exploit them, but to serve and protect them with love and humility.

Creation as Our Shared Home And Shared Stewardship

Pope Francis, in his encyclical Laudato Si', reminds us that the earth is our common home and that we must approach it with respect and care. Like a child that needs nurturing, the environment requires our active effort to preserve and protect it. The cry of the poor vulnerable is the same cry of the earth, our home. We are not only inside this shared home but we are ourselves this home under one God whom we call Our Father. Because of this, we are all interconnected. This makes us stewards, not masters of creation, and our task is a shared stewardship.

Protecting the Future for Our Children

Caring for creation is also about protecting the future for our children. The choices we make today will shape the world that the next generation inherits. When we act as responsible stewards of the earth, we are not only taking care of creation, but we are also ensuring that the children of today and tomorrow will have clean air, fresh water, and a flourishing environment in which to grow. It is our duty to leave behind a legacy of care, love, and respect for all life.

In today’s Gospel, Jesus teaches us that sustainable greatness lies in humility, service, and caring for the vulnerable—represented by the child he places amid his disciples. Just as we are called to care for children, we are also called to care for the earth and its creatures, nurturing and protecting them with love.

May we, like Jesus, embrace the children and all creatures in our midst, serving them with humility and compassion. And may our love and care for creation be a reflection of our love for the Creator, who entrusted us with the gift of this world. Amen. Fr JM Manzano SJ