In the second reading St. James warns us that where there is jealousy and selfish ambition there is disorder and every foul practice -- it rings so true and sounds so familiar; we find it rampant in our politics and throughout our society today.
James goes on to say that wisdom is from above and is pure, peaceable, gentle, full of mercy and is sincere. And so, peace, gentleness and mercy are what we should strive for in our lives with each other.
In the Gospel Jesus catches the disciples in a moment of jealousy and selfish ambition, arguing amongst themselves who was most important, who was the greatest of the group.
He called them together and singled out a child in their midst (understanding that children were of the most vulnerable class and had no social status) and he told them that they must stop striving to be first, or to be the greatest and the most recognized.
As Jesus’ disciples we must focus on welcoming the vulnerable, the poor, the outcast and the weak, like the child. And when we do so, we welcome Jesus and we welcome the One who sent him!
In last week’s Gospel Jesus told us that unless we were willing to lose our lives for him and for the sake of the Gospel, we will not save our lives. Today we hear Jesus tell us that by reaching out to “the other” we save our lives.
Jesus calls us to refocus our lives not on ourselves, but on the poor and the vulnerable. Jesus calls us to look at the world with different eyes -- to look at the world through “Gospel eyes” -- to see the world as God sees it; to love the world as God loves it.
Jesus is calling us to love our neighbor as ourselves. And the reality is that “all people” are our neighbors! Regardless of where they live, or where they were born, or their race or their gender or their politics or economic or immigration status. They are all, by Jesus’ definition, our neighbors.
So, as we look around our country and our world, as Christians, as disciples of Jesus Christ, it would seem that an awful lot of our “neighbors” are in desperate need of our love and our help!
And so, I believe that in light of today’s Gospel and the social and political discourse in our country, I need to ask myself a few questions. Such as: What part of my world view and my view towards “my neighbors” could use more of a “Gospel centered view”? What might I need to change or modify in my life to actively live a more Gospel centered life? And finally, who is the most vulnerable person, or persons, in my life right now that need me to reach out to them, to let them know they are deeply and passionately loved by God and are not alone in this world…and how can I help manifest that love to them though my care for them?
Blessings,
Fr. Tim
James goes on to say that wisdom is from above and is pure, peaceable, gentle, full of mercy and is sincere. And so, peace, gentleness and mercy are what we should strive for in our lives with each other.
In the Gospel Jesus catches the disciples in a moment of jealousy and selfish ambition, arguing amongst themselves who was most important, who was the greatest of the group.
He called them together and singled out a child in their midst (understanding that children were of the most vulnerable class and had no social status) and he told them that they must stop striving to be first, or to be the greatest and the most recognized.
As Jesus’ disciples we must focus on welcoming the vulnerable, the poor, the outcast and the weak, like the child. And when we do so, we welcome Jesus and we welcome the One who sent him!
In last week’s Gospel Jesus told us that unless we were willing to lose our lives for him and for the sake of the Gospel, we will not save our lives. Today we hear Jesus tell us that by reaching out to “the other” we save our lives.
Jesus calls us to refocus our lives not on ourselves, but on the poor and the vulnerable. Jesus calls us to look at the world with different eyes -- to look at the world through “Gospel eyes” -- to see the world as God sees it; to love the world as God loves it.
Jesus is calling us to love our neighbor as ourselves. And the reality is that “all people” are our neighbors! Regardless of where they live, or where they were born, or their race or their gender or their politics or economic or immigration status. They are all, by Jesus’ definition, our neighbors.
So, as we look around our country and our world, as Christians, as disciples of Jesus Christ, it would seem that an awful lot of our “neighbors” are in desperate need of our love and our help!
And so, I believe that in light of today’s Gospel and the social and political discourse in our country, I need to ask myself a few questions. Such as: What part of my world view and my view towards “my neighbors” could use more of a “Gospel centered view”? What might I need to change or modify in my life to actively live a more Gospel centered life? And finally, who is the most vulnerable person, or persons, in my life right now that need me to reach out to them, to let them know they are deeply and passionately loved by God and are not alone in this world…and how can I help manifest that love to them though my care for them?
Blessings,
Fr. Tim
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