Dear Parishioners,
The readings today are about our call to servant leadership and what prevents us from living it - jealousy and envy. Gratitude on the other hand fills us with peace, joy, and hope.
In the Book of Wisdom, we read, the godless say, “Let us lie in wait for the righteous one, who makes life inconvenient to us and opposes our actions.”
Rather than rejoicing in the good of others, there is that temptation to want to destroy it or be envious of it.
In the Letter of James today we read “Beloved: Where there is envy and selfish ambition, there will also be disorder and wickedness of every kind.”
James clearly articulates that envy and ambition are closely related and the result is disorder or disease. A lack of ease or a lack of order in our lives. This results in our lives becoming out of control.
As we strive to live our lives well, we can still struggle with jealousy, envy, or selfish ambition. We can either despair or turn to the mercy of God who founded his church on the faith of the 12 Apostles who he is chastising in the Gospel today. Remember, we only chastise or correct people we love so they may grow in wisdom, knowledge, and understanding and live life well.
The 12 apostles give us great hope. If they made it there is hope for us.
Just think about the dynamic of the gospel as we continue our journey through the gospel of Mark.
Today Jesus continues his teaching on his suffering, death, and resurrection - the ultimate sacrificial love for others. There is no greater love than to lay down your life for your friends.
And what are the 12 Apostles doing? They are arguing about who is the greatest? They have completely missed the point of his entire teaching that leaders offer their lives for their followers.
Jesus sat down, called the twelve, and said to them, “Whoever wants to be first must be last of all and servant of all.” The challenge becomes being the greatest servant not to have the most power.
The image of taking of the child in his arms seems cute to us but, for those in Jesus’ time, they would understand what equating himself to a child meant. Whoever welcomes a child in my name welcomes me. In Jesus' time, children had no status, no power, no esteem, no societal value. It is about servant leadership not about wanting more power.
We are here celebrating the Eucharist which means thanksgiving. Gratitude is the cure for envy and selfish ambition. Thanking God for the talents and abilities of each other rather than wanting all of the gifts for ourselves. Let us thank God for our many blessings and ask for the courage to use them to build up the kingdom of God.
Why? So we may be the people of wisdom from the second reading.” But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, with a harvest of peace for those who make peace.”
Jesus, I Trust in You
Let us continue to pray for each other and with each other as we share the message of God's Mercy
May God bless you and your families,
Fr. Gerard Monaghan