TWENTY FIFTH SUNDAY OF THE YEAR - B

TWENTY FIFTH SUNDAY OF THE YEAR – B: (Wisdom 2:12, 17-20; James 3:16 – 4:3; Mark 9:30-37) Theme: Jesus invites us to be “the last ones” and servants of the world Reflection: The authentic power is manifested only in the service - We are in the continuation of the last Sunday’s Gospel. We have reflected last week on the meaning of “Christ”. As we have already unveiled Christ means “the anointed” of the Lord. In the Old Testament the kings, the priests and the prophets were being called and anointed by the Lord for a special mission. They are all anointed of the Lord. The question of Jesus is the starting point for this revelation: who do you say that I am? (Mark 8:27-35). And Peter immediately answers, of course with the inspiration from above (Math 16: 17), “You are Christ” (Mark 8:29). In fact, Peter and the other disciples as well, would have thought that Jesus is one of the anointed ones of God. In their proclamation what was revealed is that Jesus is the coming Messiah or the future king sent by God to liberate the people of Israel from the Roman domination. Their knowledge and hope in Jesus is only to that extent: he is the King and Messiah. They have developed their knowledge of Jesus after listening to his words of proclamation with authority. They have increased their hope in Jesus after seeing the wonders and the miracles he performed with the divine power. They could not move even an inch ahead in their understanding of Jesus. They believed and followed him only with this aspiration: that he would announce a war against Romans, he will gain the victory and finally he would establish his kingdom in which they will be with the higher ranks. More than this or other than this, they cannot digest anything else because all their hopes will be shattered and all their following him will be an utter waste. - The logic of Jesus is just opposite: In fact, Jesus is the anointed one of God sent for a special mission of establishing the kingdom of God. Until this aspect the disciples are correct in their understanding. Yes, Jesus is the Christ. But the difference and the novelty lie in something else. Christ is not just as the mere anointed one of God to be a king, a priest and a prophet as the Old Testament demonstrates. He gives totally and radically different meaning to the word “Christ”. He has come to fulfil all that the law, the prophets have told about him (Math 5:17ff). He does not abolish but accomplish it with the ultimate significance. As Christ, the Messiah and the Anointed one of God, Jesus has the power: power over everything. After all, everything is made in and through him (John 1:1-3; and Col 1:15-20). He has the power over whole creation and his power is ultimate. Still Jesus does not prefer to use his power as the world considers. He gives a new meaning. He opens a new face and phase for the exercise of power and authority. He has the power but he does not use his power to dominate the world but to love the world. He has the power but he does not use his power to be served but to serve the people. He has the power but he does not use his power to take away the life of others but to pour out his life for other. He himself utters that he has not come to be served but to serve and to give his life for many. His power is for the people. His power is at the service of salvation. His power is for the establishment of the kingdom in which peace, justice and fraternity reign (Rom 14:17). - “Christ” finds its completion only in the Paschal Event: Christ, who is powerful and authoritative anointed one of God, makes himself a servant and a victim for the salvation of the world. The word ‘Christ’ has its final say only in the passion, death and resurrection. This is what Jesus announces to his disciples: the Son of Man must undergo suffering, has to meet the death and on the third day he raises again to life (Mark 8:31 and today’s gospel Mark 9:31). This is the ultimate meaning of being Christ. The logic of Jesus is not understood well. Peter has taken him apart and rebuked him not to have such kind of suffering. The disciples did not understand what he has said and more over have the fear to ask him what it means (Mark 9:32). The way of Jesus is hard to understand and harder to follow. But his way is sure and it leads to what we are hoping for: the eternal life. In this way, Jesus never utilizes his power his self-glory but keeps it at the service of the will of God and the salvation of humanity. Readings: We do not have any personal ambition, but the will of God - The three readings of today provide to us the same teaching: we are to be available always for the service of God and other brethren. They encourage us to give up what is personal and take up what of is common good. We are invited by the word of God to leave aside the personal desires and aspirations in order to give a space for the will of God and well-being of the community. Only then we are called the just, the wise and the children of Go. - The just man is a the disposal of God’s will (first reading): A person is called “just man” not because he is perfect and no one is perfect but only strives to be on the way to perfection. A person is considered to be just only because he places his total life in the hands of the Lord (vv. 19-20). His total trust is in the Lord. He throws himself upon the providence of God. He does not fear any difficulty. He does not step back because of his suffering. Instead, he embraces the will of God and accomplishes it until the end, even losing his life. Only such a person is called ‘just’ in the consideration of God. In the various trials of life he is already prepared himself to face them. Therefore, just man is the one who is available always for the will of God. He allows and surrenders himself so that what God wants passes through him. His life thus becomes an instrument of God’s love. In a word, the just man has no personal life but his life an offering for the Lord. - The wise man works for the peace (second reading): St. James uplifts us with his radical teaching. His letter is directed to the rich and to those who want to dominate the society and thus create confusion. His each word is so precious which admonishes those who desire for the upper hand in the community. His each chapter is for proclaiming the justice, equality and peace. Today’s passage is one of such apostolic admonition. He says that each Christian is endowed with the wisdom from above: wisdom of the Spirit. Therefore, each Christian is placed in the world to be wise. Wise man is always at the working of the peace and reconciliation. On the other hand, the ignorant and selfish create division and thus lead to the fight and war. St. James is very clear in this aspect for he says that every war and every fight comes from the selfish motives and personal passions for man. The wise man is never selfish but gives and utilizes his knowledge and wisdom for the betterment of the society and for the well-being of each one. Who are we Christians? We are participants in the will of God and sharer of his wisdom because we belong to Christ. Therefore, we are wise and wisdom is from above. We should surpass the logic of the world. We should throw away the measure of the world. We should fall spy to the passions of the world. As the wise men we have to work for the establishment of God’s peace among men. Indeed, Jesus sees it as beatitude: “Blessed are the peacemakers because they will be called sons of God” (Math 5:9). In this way, we, as the wise men of God, do not work for the building up of our personal Manson but strive for the construction of peaceful community. - Embrace the child and imbibe its attitude (Gospel): In the gospel, there is a discussion about who is great. This question has come about in the mind of the disciples just because they have a different idea of Jesus. As we have already reflected, they have considered Jesus as the coming messiah who will establish his kingdom and place them in the important posts. The question, thus, is who will be great there in that kingdom. The discussion and the preoccupation of the disciples did not escape the knowledge of Jesus. Jesus asks them about which that they are speaking on the way. They kept quiet. They do not have any answer. They do not want to exhibit their ambitions. Their silence did not keep Jesus silent. He starts again explaining them what it means to be with him. As it was in the last week so also today. Jesus teaches a different mode of behaving. Jesus shows a new face of being great. Being great is not being in higher rank or higher position. The meaning Jesus unveils is this: the first should be the last and least of all. It did not reach to the mind of the disciples. The words are not enough for their capacity to comprehend him. He takes a child and keeps it amidst them and says that anyone who receives this child receives him and his Father. - Why did Jesus take a child? It has a great meaning. The first meaning is this: A child has no personal ambition. Its life is always in the hands of its parents. It places its complete trust in its parents. It does what they say. It acts as they guide. It has no its personal life. In a word, its life is not its own life but the life of its parents. When Jesus gives the example of the child, he asks his disciples to learn the attitude of the child. They should not have their own will. Their will should be of the one who called them. Their whole existence is for the fulfilment of the will of God. The second meaning is this: in the Greek terminology, the child means “the small” and in the Hebrew terminology, it means anawim, “the poor”. The small and the poor are deprived of belongings and belongingness. They are nothing in the society. In the biblical understanding, it is poor and the least whose side God takes. Even, the poor and small from their part, dependent only the providence of God and thus they place their trust in the Lord. The disciples of Jesus have to learn such kind of attitude: being poor and little. They do not have any personal desires but the will of the one who sustains them. No one should have personal ambitions but the requirement of the Gospel. Conclusion: Being first in the service of the kingdom of God – the state of the Spirit - Renounce what we have and give out what we are: The two conditions that Jesus proposes for the authentic following are these: first, the disciples have to renounce their belongings and second, they have to give up their life for others. The first condition demands that we give up what is ours and what we possess. It may be wealth, property and the belongings. Jesus invites his disciples to leave everything (Math 16:24; Mark 9:23), their house, their families, their kith and kin, and their possessions and follow him (Luke 18:29-30). In a word, they should not have any personal desires and ambition. The second condition demands that that we do not consider our life as more important than God’s will. Jesus proclaims that anyone who saves his life on earth will lose it and anyone who loses his life for the sake of him and for the sake of the gospel will save it. We are called to save our life. We are asked to preserve our life in eternity. The only requirement for saving one’s life is to lose it for the good cause. The two conditions are necessary for the authentic following of him. - We have to the last and least ones to consider the goods of the earth as more important than heavenly treasure. Jesus in fact warns us not to accumulate treasures on earth but in heaven where no one will steal them and nothing will eat it away (Math 6:19-21). On the other hands, we have to be the first ones to witness for the kingdom of God. We have to be the one who initiate and fulfil God’s will. Indeed, we have to the least ones in the world in order to be the first one in the kingdom of God. We need not worry about the world. Surely, the world will not understand us. It did not understand the logic of Jesus. That’s why it did not spare even his life. It has put him to death. Jesus is the first one to do what he says. He said that one has to be a child and he made himself a child in the Incarnation. He said that one has to be a servant and he made himself a servant in the Last Supper washing the feet of the disciples. He said that one has to be the last and least of all and he made himself a least of all in the death on the cross. Thus, he is the first one to be given the glorious resurrection and he is the first one to be place above all (Phil 2:6-11). Those who are last in the world will be the first in the kingdom of God. This is the logic of Jesus. Even in our regard, many a time our testimony will be a failure. Our words will go in vain. Our actions are misinterpreted. We need not worry about the consideration of the world. We have to look for the place the kingdom of God. The world will laugh at us, will scold us, murmur at us and insult us. Nothing would pain us because we decided to follow Jesus and we can expect all these strange attitudes from the society around us. As for us, we have to strive to be first but first in the kingdom of God. - Being poor and small is the spiritual condition: the condition that Jesus is asking us to wear is not the economic condition of rich and poor. Economically people may be rich and poor. That is not the matter. Being small is not in the aspect of state of life. Some may be consecrated and others may be laity. That is not the matter. Being little is not in the terms of social ranking: master and servant, great and small, leaders and common citizens. It is not the matter. What Jesus indicates is Our Spiritual Condition: we need to be spiritually poor. The first beatitude itself teaches us to be in this state: “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of God” (Math 5:3). Our confidence should be always in God. Our spirit should rejoice in God. Our life should find its fulfilment in God. Our hearts should rest only in him. We have to learn to be in this state of the spirit: we are still joyful when we are considered little and poor in the world for we will be the first ones in the kingdom of God. Thus, we have to carry in our hearts the invitation of Jesus: be the least and servant of all.