You Need to Lose Everything First
February 25, 2025 - Tuesday of the Seventh Week in Ordinary Time
Mark 9:30-37
A young man wanted to become the best poker player. He found a master who taught him all the ins and outs of the game. With his help, he improved quickly, winning one match after another. Then came the game of his life—the one that could make him the greatest. But to enter, he had to sell everything: his possessions, his house, even his family’s land. Confident in his skills, he did it without hesitation. But he lost. How could this happen? His master had arranged for him to fail. Because only by losing could he truly become the best.
For the second time, Jesus predicts his death and resurrection, and for the second time, the disciples fail to understand. While Jesus speaks of suffering and self-sacrifice, they argue about who among them is the greatest. We might shake our heads at their blindness, but are we so different? In some places, Christianity is credited with the rise of Western civilization. In certain cultures, becoming a priest is a way to gain social prestige. In the U.S., Protestant pastors become advisers to presidents. If we see following Christ as a path to influence, status, or success, then, like the disciples, we have misunderstood his message entirely.
Jesus tries to correct them with a striking image—a child. But in our modern world, where children are cherished, protected, and even spoiled, the radical nature of his teaching can be lost on us. In Jesus’ time, children had no status, no power, no rights. To become like a child meant embracing insignificance, giving up the pursuit of recognition and authority. But the disciples couldn’t grasp it. And neither can we—at least, not yet.
Sometimes, the only way to truly understand Jesus' teaching is through failure. The young poker player had to lose everything before he could master the game. Peter had to deny Jesus before he could lead the Church. Again and again, Scripture shows us that our own ambitions, pride, and sense of control stand in the way of true discipleship. Before we can follow Christ on the way of the cross, we must surrender our egos—whether personal or institutional. Only then can we truly walk in his footsteps.