Ecclesiasticus 36:1, 4-5, 10-17 / Mark 10:32-45
Corporate headhunters are people who work for clients to provide a fast and efficient search of quality candidates for recruitment into their companies.
In a way, these headhunters are trained and maybe even talented or gifted to spot people who have the potential to take on certain posts or tasks and the ability to deliver and meet objectives.
In a certain way, we also have a bit of "head-hunting" streak in us - we try to spot people who will make it to the top and we may go further in their inner circles.
In that way, we will be able to enjoy the benefits of their influence when they rise to the top, and we may even hope to influence them in order to achieve our interests.
In the gospel, we heard about James and John making that move to secure their position with Jesus. Already they were in the inner circle with Peter and now they want to consolidate their position.
Yet, they seemed to have forgotten that it was Jesus who called them and chose them to be His apostles.
It was He who "headhunted" them and the authority that He gave them is not for them to be slave drivers or slave traders.
In fact Jesus taught them that anyone who wants to become great must be a servant, and anyone who wants to be first must be slave to all.
For Jesus Himself did not come to be served but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many.
May the Holy Spirit grant us the wisdom to see who are the ones who serve quietly and with humility and may we join them to serve with Jesus and to give our lives as a ransom for many.