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| September 23 2012 |
Last week in the Gospel, we heard that there
can be no sharing 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 any more. How often do we reject what we do not wish to see
or hear? 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? 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"? 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, position, 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. 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. If we want to be filled with God's life and power, then we need to empty
ourselves of everything which stands in the way – pride, self-seeking glory,
vanity, etc. God wants empty vessels so he can fill them with his grace, glory,
power, and love.
Please
remember to mark September 29th
on your calendars! The Knights of
Columbus Golf Tournament starts at 11 am and the Harvest Bazaar begins at 9am.
I am still looking for help on the day of the bazaar. Please let me know if you
would like to get involved and be part of this exciting event!
We now have additional prizes for
a silent auction: a SONY blue-ray/DVD player, a beautiful dining-room set with
6 chairs and another Apple iPod touch.
I hope you will have a
great week!
Fr.
Phil
