~~~ Twenty-fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time ~~~
~~~Wisdom 2:12, 17-20~~Psalm 54~~~
~~~ James 3:16—4:3 ~~~Mark 9:30-37 ~~~
The Son of Man is to be handed over to men
and they will kill him,
and three days after his death the Son of Man will rise.
Jesus is trying to prepare the apostles for his passion and death,
but they are more concerned about which one of them is greater.
Our human nature often gets in the way of our better judgment.
Since they did not understand what Jesus was telling them
they focused on their own concerns.
Their own potential greatness;
after all they may or may not have all known
each other before Jesus called them to follow him.
But Jesus does not scold them.
He gives them an example they can relate to...
“If anyone wishes to be first,
he shall be the last of all and the servant of all.”
If this wasn't enough to confuse them even more than they were
Jesus continues to further dissolve their concept of greatness.
He takes a child from the crowd and places him
in the middle of the group.
This must have been shocking to them
because children had no rights at that time.
There would have been no court appointed lawyer
to represent a child in court.
If the Jews believed that you had to earn your way
into heaven through good works then why
would you want to be like a little child?
They were not able to make decisions on their own so why
even bring them into the picture?
At the time children just did not make a difference...
how could they possibly have any place
in the spectrum of 'greatness'?
“Whoever receives one child such as this in my name,
receives me;
and whoever receives me,
receives not me but the One who sent me.”
Once again Jesus would challenge
and frustrate their widely held beliefs.
They must have almost been insulted
at the idea of placing such value on a child.
The Lord says that unless you place your self last,
such as a child, you can never expect to be first.
By nature, a child is weak, helpless, unworthy, dependent,
humble with no possessions...
These are the characteristics
Jesus is advocating for us to emulate.
Gaining entry into the kingdom of heaven
has more to do with being like a child
than creating a place of power and prestige.
...wisdom from above is first of all pure,
then peaceable, gentle, compliant,
full of mercy and good fruits,
without inconstancy or insincerity.
James writes these words in his letter we read today.
These words too can be used to describe children.
There is nothing here to support bickering
over who is the greatest.
Looking at your own life today,
I invite you to identify which of these child like characteristics
you see in yourself.
But more importantly honestly admit to yourself
where you are still a work in progress.
There is still time...your journey is not yet completed.
Whenever you have the opportunity
to be in the midst of children and take note of their pure joy.
Perhaps the little ones give us the best glimpse of heaven.
May you be Blessed with child like trust and faith.
~~~Peace~~~
