The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today challenge us to review our attitudes and be prepared to replace pride with self denial.
The reading from Genesis presents the lesson of the Tower of Babel.
* [11:1–9] This story illustrates increasing human wickedness, shown here in the sinful pride that human beings take in their own achievements apart from God. Secondarily, the story explains the diversity of languages among the peoples of the earth.
* [11:2] Shinar: see note on 10:10.
* [11:4] Tower with its top in the sky: possibly a reference to the chief ziggurat of Babylon, E-sag-ila, lit., “the house that raises high its head.”
* [11:9] Babel: the Hebrew form of the name “Babylon”; the Babylonians interpreted their name for the city, Bab-ili, as “gate of god.” The Hebrew word balal, “he confused,” has a similar sound. (Genesis, CHAPTER 11, n.d.)
Psalm 33 praises the Greatness and Goodness of God.
* [Psalm 33] A hymn in which the just are invited (Ps 33:1–3) to praise God, who by a mere word (Ps 33:4–5) created the three-tiered universe of the heavens, the cosmic waters, and the earth (Ps 33:6–9). Human words, in contrast, effect nothing (Ps 33:10–11). The greatness of human beings consists in God’s choosing them as a special people and their faithful response (Ps 33:12–22). (Psalms, PSALM 33, n.d.)
In the Gospel of Mark, Jesus explains the Conditions of Discipleship.
* [8:34–35] This utterance of Jesus challenges all believers to authentic discipleship and total commitment to himself through self-renunciation and acceptance of the cross of suffering, even to the sacrifice of life itself. Whoever wishes to save his life will lose it…will save it: an expression of the ambivalence of life and its contrasting destiny. Life seen as mere self-centered earthly existence and lived in denial of Christ ends in destruction, but when lived in loyalty to Christ, despite earthly death, it arrives at fullness of life. (Mark, CHAPTER 8, n.d.)
Angela Maynard asks what does it mean to deny oneself?
We must take a selfless approach to things. Surrender to Jesus. He leads and we follow. This is tough as there must be an element of extreme trust to accomplish this. One of my favorite images of this is that of the Good Shepherd and his sheep. As I reflect on the image of the Good Shepherd, I feel peace and protection. I think it’s easier to surrender in an environment of trust safety.
Take up your cross. Does this mean that we literally carry heavy burdens? Maybe—however when I dig a bit deeper, I remember the experience of Jesus carrying his cross. He was mocked, spat upon, and beaten in public. He knew he was walking to his death. Consider a time when you felt rejection due to your beliefs. Perhaps taking up one’s cross involves loving your enemies and forgiving. We will witness the ultimate in forgiveness during Lent when we recall Jesus pleading forgiveness for his killers as he looks to them from the cross. “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.” (Maynard, 2023)
Don Schwager quotes “Would you follow Christ?,” by Caesarius of Arles, 470-542 A.D.
"When the Lord tells us in the Gospel that anyone who wants to be his follower must renounce himself, the injunction seems harsh; we think he is imposing a burden on us (Matthew 16:24; Mark 8:34; Luke 9:23). But an order is no burden when it is given by one who helps in carrying it out. To what place are we to follow Christ if not where he has already gone? We know that he has risen and ascended into heaven; there, then, we must follow him. There is no cause for despair - by ourselves we can do nothing, but we have Christ's promise...
"One who claims to abide in Christ ought to walk as he walked. Would you follow Christ? Then be humble as he was humble. Do not scorn his lowliness if you want to reach his exaltation. Human sin made the road rough. Christ's resurrection leveled it. By passing over it himself, he transformed the narrowest of tracks into a royal highway. Two feet are needed to run along this highway; they are humility and charity. Everyone wants to get to the top - well, the first step to take is humility. Why take strides that are too big for you - do you want to fall instead of going up? Begin with the first step, humility, and you will already be climbing." (excerpt from SERMONS 159, 1.4-6) (Schwager, n.d.)
The Word Among Us Meditation on Mark 8:34–9:1 comments that we don’t even have to wait until heaven to enjoy what we gain by following Jesus! Our salvation deepens every time we say yes to Jesus. We experience the peace of knowing that we are loved, forgiven, and reconciled with God. We know the joy of encountering Jesus in prayer and receiving his life in the Eucharist. And we can sense the Spirit guiding us and empowering us to do his will. All of these “gains” far outweigh the pain and sacrifice of denying ourselves and taking up our crosses (Mark 8:34).
Yielding to Jesus can be difficult; it’s not something we can accomplish in a single moment. It’s a lifelong process that requires emptying ourselves of all that we cling to so that we can receive the fullness of life that God intended for us. This life begins here, but it lasts for eternity. May we always see it clearly and desire it above all else!
“Jesus, give me the grace to lose my life for you.” (Meditation on Mark 8:34–9:1, n.d.)
Friar Jude Winkler discusses the act of pride of building towers that resembled those built by the Babylonians. Language that became a way of dividing people is healed at Pentecost. Friar Jude reminds us that holding on to pride, power, and prestige may keep us from the profound fullness of life with Jesus that even death can not conquer.
Fr. Richard Rohr, OFM, introduces scripture scholar Walter Brueggemann who reflects on Jeremiah 9:22–23 about what matters to God and is worth “boasting” of.
Brag about steadfast love, about staying power and keeping vows and promises, about long-term fidelity whereby haves and have-nots, rich and poor, and black and white stay with each other in a common destiny because there are no private deals, no gated communities that can be safe, no private schools that can opt out, no protected oases because all are bound to all, even as God is bound to Israel.
Brag about justice, about the practice of economic viability in which the great money revenues of the most fabulous wealth in the world is put to use for all the neighbors in terms of health care, adequate housing, childcare, good schools—all readily doable when the Body Politic comes to know that we are all in it together….
Brag about righteousness, a vision of a society in viable, sustainable equilibrium, a harmony of neighbors in which none need to be gouging and threatening others and none need be fearful, because common joy and common hope are rooted in common shalom. [2] (Rohr, 2023)
We may call upon the Holy Spirit to bring us calm and humility in those situations where our pride threatens to dominate our decisions and actions.
References
Genesis, CHAPTER 11. (n.d.). USCCB. Retrieved February 17, 2023, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/genesis/11?1
Mark, CHAPTER 8. (n.d.). USCCB. Retrieved February 17, 2023, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/mark/8?
Maynard, A. (2023, February 17). Creighton U. Daily Reflection. Online Ministries. Retrieved February 17, 2023, from https://onlineministries.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/021723.html
Meditation on Mark 8:34–9:1. (n.d.). The Word Among Us: Homepage. Retrieved February 17, 2023, from https://wau.org/meditations/2023/02/17/612252/
Psalms, PSALM 33. (n.d.). USCCB. Retrieved February 17, 2023, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/psalms/33?10
Rohr, R. (2023, February 17). Bragging about Love and Justice — Center for Action and Contemplation. Center for Action and Contemplation. Retrieved February 17, 2023, from https://cac.org/daily-meditations/bragging-about-love-and-justice-2023-02-17/
Schwager, D. (n.d.). Whoever Loses His Life for My Sake Will Save It. Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations – Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations. Retrieved February 17, 2023, from https://www.dailyscripture.net/daily-meditation/?ds_year=2023&date=feb17
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