Three times Jesus foretells his coming passion and resurrection to his disciples. Each time they fail to understand and each time Jesus gives them a teaching. Today we have the second occasion on which he speaks to them about his future. Although they have already heard it, they cannot understand. They cannot understand how this can happen to the Messiah.

Then, when they reach Capernaum, Jesus asked them what they had been arguing about on the way. They were too embarrassed to answer, because they were arguing which of them was the greatest. Were they, in fact, discussing who should be the best person to be in charge when Jesus was gone?

Jesus then took them aside and put a small child among them. If any of them wanted to be first in the group, he had to put himself in the last place, totally at the service of the others. Secondly, giving a special welcome to the least in society is to welcome Jesus himself. Jesus, of course, our Lord and Master, did exactly that. He washed the feet of his disciples and sat at table with the outcasts of society. Where does my greatness lie?