Humility and Servant-hood

In today's first reading, James 4: 1-10, challenges us to answer the questions: "Where do the wars and where to the conflicts among you come from? Is it not from your passions that make war within our members?"  If my passion is to be number one, to win at all costs, I will set myself out to take down anyone who attempts to block me from achieving that goal. This is not only true on a personal level, it is also true of nations or countries that insist on being number 1!  Military buildups operate, I believe, in this same way.

Do we not, in many cases,  teach our children that they, too, must win over others and sometimes at any cost!  Setting ourselves in conflict against others and needing to be the greatest, the smartest, the BEST in whatever we do and in whatever competition we enter is not what Jesus teaches in today's Gospel, Mark 9: 30-37.  When the disciples are arguing among themselves about who was the greatest, He said to them: "If anyone wishes to be first, he shall be the last of all and the servant of all."      Jesus  did not flaunt being the Son of God, the Messiah, the King of all. In fact He makes it clear that He did  not come to be served but to serve! He modeled service when He washed his disciples feet and says to the disciples: Do you see what I have done for you. Do likewise!

Lord, have mercy on us when our passions make war within ourselves and with our fellow human beings!  May we learn from you to be the servant of all and not seek to be first in anything!  May we also honestly answer St. James' questions of the sources of our conflicts with others!

The Need for Holy Mentors and Holy Mentoring

"In God I trust; I shall not fear," we pray in today's responsorial psalm.  In the first reading, 1 Sam 18: 6-9;  19: 1-7, Saul's son Jonathan cautions David to hide--"[m]y father Saul is trying to kill you.  ...[P]lease be on your guard tomorrow morning." So David hides! Jonathan positions himself close to his father that morning so that he can intercede on behalf of David. Jonathan knows that his father is jealous of David, whom, upon his return from killing Goliath and 10s of thousands of Philistines out to harm the nation of Israel, is lauded for his accomplishment.  In the process, the people credit Saul for killing less of Israel's enemies.

Jealousy is a powerful force and gone unchecked can lead to disastrous results. People can lose their lives and murderers their freedom. Chaos abounds for all in this web of jealousy. God protects his servant David as well as his servant Saul, using Jonathan, Saul's son, to challenge him.  "Let not your majesty sin against his servant David, for he has committed no offense against you, but has helped you very much by his deeds."  Saul listens and David is now safe in his service to Saul.

Like Saul, you and I may, at times, need someone who will intervene for us when  jealousy or other unruly passions consume us and we are out to berate another: bring harm to them by verbally   For some of us that is a spiritual director, a confessor, a dear friend, a sibling, a school counselor, a teacher). For all of us, thank God, Jesus is that person. Jesus is always on our side. Jesus will destroy "death" in us and "bring life to light [within us] through the Gospel"  (Today's gospel Acclamation).

God, forgive me when I let jealousy or any other human passion get the best of me and rule my thoughts and actions. I pray for the grace to be open to the person/s You send to me to challenge my thinking when I am off base.  May I also be open to holy reading that will redirect my thinking, to taking time to sit in Your holy  presence in a church or chapel or in my room gazing into your face upon the cross and allowing You to gaze upon me in love and mercy, transforming whatever disorder has taken hold me and purifying my heart of sinful inclinations!

Right Focus

In today’s Scripture readings, we are encouraged to “throw [our] cares on the Lord, and he will support you.”  St. James reminds us to “Draw near to God and God will draw near to you.” These messages follow the questions:  “Where do the wars and where to the conflicts among you come from? Is it not your passions that make war within your members?”  In the Gospel, the apostles are arguing about who will be first in the Kingdom.

How easy to get caught up the worldly matters and take our focus off of Jesus or to forget to “throw our cares on the Lord,” or to “draw near to God.”  St. James asks: “Do you not know that to be a lover of the world [and of secular goals] means enmity with God?”   When I am interiorly disturbed or not a peace, when my sole focus is success as proposed by the world, it is that turmoil that I can easily project onto others. It is that “muddy” thinking that blocks me from seeing as God sees and that depletes my trusting the Lord.  In those times I am seeking my will above God’s. 

The argument that broke out among the apostles occurred right after Jesus told them that “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 about doing His Father’s will.  Nothing else!  He was not enmeshed in worldly, secular goals and neither should we be focused on such. Whatever we are doing here on earth—personally, vocationally, professionally, socially, as a parent, an employee, an employer, a friend, a relative—should be in response to God’s call or the Spirit’s lead in our life.  We are on a journey of dying and rising with Christ, in getting to know and imitate the Lord. Nothing else! Or is there?

In today’s Scripture readings, we are encouraged to “throw [our] cares on the Lord, and he will support you.”  St. James reminds us to “Draw near to God and God will draw near to you.” These messages follow the questions:  “Where do the wars and where to the conflicts among you come from? Is it not your passions that make war within your members?”  In the Gospel, the apostles are arguing about who will be first in the Kingdom.

How easy to get caught up the worldly matters and take our focus off of Jesus or to forget to “throw our cares on the Lord,” or to “draw near to God.”  St. James asks: “Do you not know that to be a lover of the world [and of secular goals] means enmity with God?”   When I am interiorly disturbed or not a peace, when my sole focus is success as proposed by the world, it is that turmoil that I can easily project onto others. It is that “muddy” thinking that blocks me from seeing as God sees and that depletes my trusting the Lord.  In those times I am seeking my will above God’s. 

The argument that broke out among the apostles occurred right after Jesus told them that “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 about doing His Father’s will.  Nothing else!  He was not enmeshed in worldly, secular goals and neither should we be focused on such. Whatever we are doing here on earth—personally, vocationally, professionally, socially, as a parent, an employee, an employer, a friend, a relative—should be in response to God’s call or the Spirit’s lead in our life.  We are on a journey of dying and rising with Christ, in getting to know and imitate the Lord. Nothing else! Or is there?