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TRUE AND FALSE AMBITION

There's nothing wrong with being ambitious. Indeed, it's good to be ambitious, to have goals, to want to be good at what one does and to succeed in it. But ambition can get out of hand. It can cause us to forget everything else in the pursuit of success in business or in a career. Hence, we must be careful with what we are sacrificing in the pursuit of our goals. We may be sacrificing family life, justice, kindness, even life itself. Drive and ambition can cause one to treat others in a cruel or unjust way. What good will it do us if we gain the whole world but lose ourselves?

In the Gospel of ; Mk 9: 30-37, we see the apostles fighting over who would be first in Jesus' Kingdom. The scene is not an edifying one. That they are driven by selfishness and false ambition shows how little they had learned from Jesus. It shows how poor was their understanding of his mission. Jesus called them together and gave them a lecture on the meaning of true greatness. Jesus didn't abolish ambition. Rather, he redefined it. For the ambition to rule others he substituted the ambition to serve others. For that to have others do things for us he substituted the ambition do things for others. So, it's not ambition itself that is being condemned, but false ambition. False ambition is very damaging to the unity of the community. It springs from jealousy and selfishness. And it can result in all kinds of ugly behaviours. So much of the violence and evil in our society results from greed and selfishness. Self-interest creates conflict and often results in painful divisions. There's a good form of ambition which Christians should not shy away from. It's in being the servants of others, especially the weaker members of the community. Jesus sets the example himself. Though he had authority from God, he never used that authority to dominate others. Instead, he used it to serve others especially the poor, the sick, the maimed, the outcasts. Service implies that you're not there for yourself, but for others. In order to serve, one has to be very self-effacing. A servant has to get used to being taken for granted.
REFLECTION
Theme; "CONDEMNATION OF RICHES"
Very many people admire and envy the rich. Yet St. James in Jam:5: 1-6 makes a severe attack on them. However, it is not riches in themselves that are being condemned. Basically he makes two points.
The first is the ultimate worthlessness of wealth. Whatever comfort

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