Whoever wants to be first . . . .

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For 24 February 2009, Tuesday before Ash Wednesday, based on Mark 9:30-37

They went on from there and passed through Galilee. Jesus did not want anyone to know it; for he was teaching his disciples, saying to them, “The Son of Man is to be betrayed into human hands, and they will kill him, and three days after being killed, he will rise again.” But they did not understand what he was saying and were afraid to ask him.

Then they came to Capernaum; and when he was in the house he asked them, “What were you arguing about on the way?” But they were silent, for on the way they had argued with one another who was the greatest. He sat down, called the twelve, and said to them, “Whoever wants to be first must be last of all and servant of all.” Then he took a little child and put it among them; and taking it in his arms, he said to them, “Whoever welcomes one such child in my name welcomes me, and whoever welcomes me welcomes not me but the one who sent me.”


Scripture passage from the New Revised Standard Version Bible: Catholic Edition, copyright 1989, 1993, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

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About Patricia Bruno, O.P.

Patricia Bruno, O.P. is a Dominican Sister of San Rafael, California. She is the Promoter of Preaching for the Dominicans in the Western Region of the US and has been a member of the board for the Academy of Preachers. Patricia is involved in many justice issues, especially in the area of economic justice and nonviolence. Presently her full time ministry is preaching.