Who Is the Greatest in God's Kingdom?
Introduction:
May you know the peace and mercy of GOD as you
reach out to those who need your assistance.
It never ceases to amaze us to see people who have dedicated at least
part of their time to the service of others. They feel that they are blessed
when they are able to touch the lives of others positively. The life of a
Christian is to be marked by a life of thinking about and serving others. Our
focus is not to be on ourselves, but on others whom GOD is calling us to serve.
When we reach out to others, GOD reaches out to us and blesses our lives with
peace, mercy, and love.
The
readings could be summarized in the sentence, “Justice is service.” In the
First Reading “The Wicked” plots the persecution and death of The Just One
because His lifestyle is a challenge to their present-focused, self-serving way
of life. Aware of how the unjust are plotting against him, the psalmist prays
for help from and relies completely on, GOD. In the Second Reading, James
describes the difference between the selfishness and jealousy that lead to
conflict and the wisdom and unselfishness that lead to true peace. In the
Gospel, Jesus again predicts His own persecution and death at the hands of the
unjust and He shows that true greatness comes not from honor and being served,
but from the humble service of others, especially the lowliest and the simplest.
First Reading; Wisdom 2:12,17-20: The
wicked prepare to ambush the just man
Commentary: The
Book of Wisdom was written probably at Alexandria, and was written in Greek, so
is not included in the Protestant canon of scripture, which includes only the books
written in Hebrew. A major theme of the book is the contrast between divine Wisdom
and folly. It also includes a wonderful poem in God’s Wisdom, by which he created
the world, ‘the reflection of the eternal light, and the image of his goodness’.
In this reading, we have the taunts that those who refuse divine Wisdom make against
those who embrace Wisdom.
Responsorial Psalm 54:3-6,8: The Lord
upholds my life.
The
psalm is a prayer of one who realizes that his enemies are plotting against
him. This prayer fittingly could be linked with many of the prophets who were
persecuted, with The Just One of the First Reading, and obviously with Jesus.
The focus is not the threats and persecution from the enemies, but the total
reliance on GOD.
Second Reading; James 3:16-4:3: The wisdom
that comes from above makes for peace
Commentary: The
reading from the Letter of James first contrasts quarrelling and ambition, and their
evil effects, with the true wisdom which brings peace. Then it goes on to some stern
words about prayer which is not heard, ‘because you have prayed for something to
indulge your own desires’. Is it wrong, then, to ask God for what we want? What
about ‘Ask and you shall receive, seek and you shall find’? The problem of unanswered
prayers of petition is a difficult one. We do not really believe that we can change
God’s mind and intentions by praying. Nevertheless, we express to God our needs
and desires, although we are well aware that he knows them already. This is what
a child does to a loving father, ‘Please, please!’ We even link arms with our mother,
Mary, or even our brother and Saviour, Jesus, to increase the persuasive power.
But every prayer of petition, just as a child’s prayer to a loving father, contains
the hidden text that our Father knows best. The child or the praying Christian can
want something desperately, but for true prayer must submit in obedience, sometimes
puzzled obedience, to the Father. Only so is the prayer an expression of trust and
affection.
Gospel Mark 9:30-37: Anyone who welcomes one of these little children
in my name welcomes me
Commentary: After
Peter’s confession of Jesus as Messiah the road to Calvary is staked out by three
predictions of the Passion, becoming more and more explicit. Each time the inability
of the disciples to understand and accept the message is stressed. On this occasion,
they are too shamefaced to ask any further. At each prediction, the same series
occurs: from Passion to misunderstanding to disciples must share the Cross of Christ.
On
this occasion, the re-iteration takes the form of putting forward a child to show
how the least honoured members of society should be treated. In the modern era,
we are especially sensitive to the rights of children. This was not the case in
the ancient world, perhaps because of the high infant mortality rate: only a small
minority of children would reach adulthood. So the child represents the most neglected
segment of society, and Jesus chooses the child to stress that all human beings
have infinite value, being made in the image of God. All deserve the same respect,
love , and care.
Reflection: Whose glory do you seek? There can be
no share in God's glory without the cross. When Jesus prophesied his own betrayal
and crucifixion, it did not make any sense to his disciples because it did not fit
their understanding of what the Messiah came to do. And they were afraid to ask
further questions! Like a person who might receive a bad verdict from the doctor
and then refuse to ask further questions, they, too, didn't want to know anymore.
How often do we reject what we do not wish to see? We have heard the good news of
God's word and we know the consequences of accepting it or rejecting it. But do
we give it our full allegiance and mold our lives according to it? Ask the Lord
to fill you with his Holy Spirit and to inspire within you a reverence for his word
and a readiness to obey it.
Do you compare yourself with others? How
ashamed the disciples must have been when Jesus overheard them arguing about who
among them was the greatest! But aren't we like the disciples? We compare ourselves
with others and desire their praise. The appetite for glory and greatness seems
to be inbred in us. Who doesn't cherish the ambition to be "somebody"
whom others admire rather than a "nobody"? Even the psalms speak about
the glory God has destined for us. You have made them a little lower than God and
crowned them with glory and honor (Psalm 8:5).
Jesus
made a dramatic gesture by embracing a child to show his disciples who really is
the greatest in the kingdom of God. What can a little child possibly teach us about
greatness? Children in the ancient world had no rights, positions, or privileges
of their own. They were socially at the "bottom of the rung" and at the
service of their parents, much like the household staff and domestic servants.
Who is the greatest in God's kingdom? What
is the significance of Jesus' gesture? Jesus elevated a little child in the presence
of his disciples by placing the child in a privileged position of honor. It is customary,
even today, to seat the guest of honor at the right side of the host. Who is the
greatest in God's kingdom? The one who is humble and lowly of heart - who instead
of asserting their rights willingly empty themselves of pride and self-seeking glory
by taking the lowly position of a servant or child.
Jesus,
himself, is our model. He came not to be served, but to serve (Matthew 20:28). Paul
the Apostle states that Jesus emptied himself and took the form of a servant (Philippians
2:7). Jesus lowered himself (he whose place is at the right hand of God the Father)
and took on our lowly nature that he might raise us up and clothe us in his divine
nature.
God wants to fill us with his own glory: God
opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble (James 4:6). If we want to be filled
with God's life and power, then we need to empty ourselves of everything that stands
in the way - pride, self-seeking glory, vanity, etc. God wants empty vessels so
he can fill them with his own glory, power, and love (2 Corinthians 4:7). Are you
ready to humble yourself and to serve as Jesus did?
Lord
Jesus, by your cross you have redeemed the world and revealed your glory and triumph
over sin and death. May I never fail to see your glory and victory in the cross.
Help me to conform my life to your will and to follow in your way of holiness.
Daily Quote from the Early Church Fathers: Downward roots enable upward growth, by Augustine
of Hippo, 354-430 A.D.
"Observe
a tree, how it first tends downwards, that it may then shoot forth upwards. It fastens
its root low in the ground, that it may send forth its top towards heaven. Is it
not from humility that it endeavors to rise? But without humility it will not attain
to higher things (Proverbs 18:12). You are wanting to grow up into the air without
a root. Such is not growth, but a collapse." (excerpt from THE GOSPEL OF JOHN,
SERMON 38.2)
Pleasure-seeking or treasure seeking
“You
ask and you do not receive because you ask wrongly, with a view to squandering what
you receive on your pleasures.” —James 4:3
Human
history provides ample testimony about the effects of pleasure-seeking. One pleasure
is never enough. People always want the next pleasure, followed by another. Companies
thrive by stoking the pleasure-seeking desires of consumers. Left to our own desires,
we become slaves of pleasure-seeking, servants of the cravings of our own flesh
(see Rm 6:12).
I
challenge you to spend the next ten seconds looking at a crucifix. “Fix your eyes
on Jesus” (Heb 3:1). As you gaze on Jesus’ crucified body, ask yourself these questions:
“What if Jesus chose to pursue earthly pleasure as often as I do? What if He chose
not to suffer and die for me?” Then ask Jesus to break the chains of your fleshly
desires. “Already you have devoted enough time” on your pleasures (1 Pt 4:3). Now
devote the rest of your time on earth to seeking God’s pleasure. Through the cross,
be crucified to the world (Gal 6:14).
When
you are crucified to your own desires, you are then empty enough to receive God’s
desires (see Phil 2:7). Then you are ready to receive God’s treasures: abundant
life, joy, peace, love, and the gifts of the Holy Spirit (see Gal 5:22ff). Repent
of following your desires. Seek the lasting pleasures of God rather than the momentary
pleasures of this world (Ps 104:34). Make the Lord your only Treasure (Mt 13:44).
Prayer:
Father, send the Holy Spirit to fight against my flesh (Gal 5:17). Cleanse my heart
of useless desires (Jn 2:15). “Let us condemn Him to a shameful death; for according
to His own words, God will take care of Him.” —Wis 2:20. Praise You, Jesus! You
are “the Resurrection and the Life” (Jn 11:25). Glory be to You forever!
The
personal action for today: What person or persons come(s) to mind when I think of a true leader?
What are some of her/his/their characteristics that make him/her/them stand out
in my mind? Do I see that true leaders are individuals who seek to help others?
How do I demonstrate my own leadership in the way that I am willing to be of
service to others? What aspects of my own self-centeredness keep me from being
of service to those who need my assistance the most? Who will I pick out today,
this week, as the person(s) to whom I will consciously reach out?