Humble Service

The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today remind us that the path to fullness of life is one that is contrary to much of modern culture as the Spirit leads us to humble service.

Neighbourhood Service

The reading from the Letter of James warns that friendship with the World often is a Cause of Division.

* [4:1–12] The concern here is with the origin of conflicts in the Christian community. These are occasioned by love of the world, which means enmity with God (4). Further, the conflicts are bound up with failure to pray properly (cf. Mt 7:7–11; Jn 14:13; 15:7; 16:23), that is, not asking God at all or using God’s kindness only for one’s pleasure (Jas 4:2–3). In contrast, the proper dispositions are submission to God, repentance, humility, and resistance to evil (Jas 4:7–10). (James, CHAPTER 4, n.d.)

Psalm 55 is a complaint about a Friend’s Treachery.

* [Psalm 55] The psalmist, betrayed by intimate friends (Ps 55:14–15, 20–21), prays that God punish those oath breakers and thus be acknowledged as the protector of the wronged. The sufferings of the psalmist include both ostracism (Ps 55:4) and mental turmoil (Ps 55:5–6), culminating in the wish to flee society (Ps 55:7–9). The wish for a sudden death for one’s enemies (Ps 55:16) occurs elsewhere in the Psalms; an example of such a death is the earth opening under the wicked Dathan and Abiram (Nm 16:31–32). The psalmist, confident of vindication, exhorts others to a like trust in the God of justice (Ps 55:23). The Psalm is not so much for personal vengeance as for a public vindication of God’s righteousness now. There was no belief in an afterlife where such vindication could take place. (Psalms, PSALM 55 | USCCB, n.d.)

In the Gospel of Mark, Jesus again foretells His Death and Resurrection and asks Who Is the Greatest?

* [9:33–37] Mark probably intends this incident and the sayings that follow as commentary on the disciples’ lack of understanding (Mk 9:32). Their role in Jesus’ work is one of service, especially to the poor and lowly. Children were the symbol Jesus used for the anawim, the poor in spirit, the lowly in the Christian community. (Mark, CHAPTER 9, n.d.)

Tami Whitney (2014) comments that instead of hating each other, we should be loving God, and the best way to love God is to love his people.

What better way to show God our appreciation than to appreciate and respect, even love, his creation. Loving each other, treating each other decently – even the poor, especially the poor – is the best way to have satisfaction in our lives. Those who love the lowest, least important people, those who give with no expectation of benefit, will receive the greatest benefit. The things of the world are not the most satisfying, but the love of God can satisfy all. (Whitney, n.d.)

Don Schwager quotes “Downward roots enable upward growth,” by Augustine of Hippo, 354-430 A.D.

"Observe a tree, how it first tends downwards, that it may then shoot forth upwards. It fastens its root low in the ground, that it may send forth its top towards heaven. Is it not from humility that it endeavors to rise? But without humility it will not attain to higher things (Proverbs 18:12). You are wanting to grow up into the air without a root. Such is not growth, but a collapse." (excerpt from THE GOSPEL OF JOHN, SERMON 38.2) (Schwager, n.d.)

The Word Among Us Meditation on Mark 9:30-37 comments that when we experience strong emotions that have the potential to lead us into sin, we shouldn’t be surprised or get down on ourselves. Instead, free of shame, we can acknowledge to the Lord how we are feeling and then ask for his help. In his humanity, Jesus knows exactly what we are going through. Not only is he our model for how to govern our emotions, but he gives us the grace to do it.

We don’t know if tempers flared or unkind words were said as the disciples argued. But notice that Jesus didn’t berate them for indulging in such pettiness; instead, he patiently taught them about what it means to be “first” and “last” (Mark 9:35). When we don’t know how to handle our emotions, our first instinct should be to turn to Jesus. We can always count on him to help us. As he did with the apostles, he will patiently show us the way to true greatness.

“Jesus, be my lifeline whenever my emotions threaten to overwhelm me!” (Meditation on Mark 9:30-37, n.d.)

Friar Jude Winkler notes that the passage from James speaks about the difficulties that come from our own intentions. Conversion of our thoughts through the eyes of Jesus will allow us to be less slaves of wrong intentions and more free to choose love. Friar Jude reminds us that Jesus chose children as the example of service as anawim and those who cannot pay us back.

Fr. Richard Rohr, OFM, introduces religious historian Diana Butler Bass who describes the intimate relationship between Jesus and the Spirit. She shares how Jesus’ Jewish followers might have understood his connection to the Spirit.

Jesus, as a Jew, would have been familiar with the idea of shekhinah, the presence of God dwelling with the world. As Amy-Jill Levine says, “Judaism has the idea of the Shekinah, the feminine presence of God descending to earth and dwelling among human beings.” [3]…

Was that not how Jesus’s first followers experienced him?… As a person inhabited by shekhinah? That he somehow was the dwelling place of God, and that there was no real conflict in the mind of his brother and sister Jews between bearing the mystery of the sacred and being fully human? And if that is who he was, is that who he still is? The presence, the wisdom, the divine dwelling with us, the feminine spirit, here and now? (Rohr, n.d.)

We ponder the paradox of the power of humility in service as the Way followers of Jesus inspired by the Spirit “renew the face of the earth.”

References

James, CHAPTER 4. (n.d.). USCCB. Retrieved May 21, 2024, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/james/4?1 

Mark, CHAPTER 9. (n.d.). USCCB. Retrieved May 21, 2024, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/mark/9? 

Meditation on Mark 9:30-37. (n.d.). The Word Among Us: Homepage. Retrieved May 21, 2024, from https://wau.org/meditations/2024/05/21/972635/ 

Psalms, PSALM 55 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved May 21, 2024, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/psalms/55?7 

Rohr, R. (n.d.). The Spirit in Jesus. CAC Daily Meditations. Retrieved May 21, 2024, from https://cac.org/daily-meditations/the-spirit-in-jesus/ 

Schwager, D. (n.d.). Who Is the Greatest in God's Kingdom? Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations – Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations. Retrieved May 21, 2024, from https://www.dailyscripture.net/daily-meditation/?ds_year=2024&date=may21 

Whitney, T. (n.d.). Daily Reflection of Creighton University's Online Ministries. Creighton University's Online Ministries. Retrieved May 21, 2024, from https://onlineministries.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/Archive/2014/022514.html 

Welcoming Greatness

The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today invite us to contemplate how our ego may be blocking our sense of the Presence of God especially in our relationships with those in need.

Loving the Greatest

The reading from the Letter of James reviews causes of division in our choices to accept the allurements of the world opposed to Christ.

 * [4:6] The point of this whole argument is that God wants the happiness of all, but that selfishness and pride can make that impossible. We must work with him in humility (Jas 4:10).1

The sufferings of the psalmist include both ostracism and mental turmoil culminating in the wish to flee society.

* [Psalm 55] The psalmist, betrayed by intimate friends (Ps 55:14–15, 20–21), prays that God punish those oath breakers and thus be acknowledged as the protector of the wronged. The sufferings of the psalmist include both ostracism (Ps 55:4) and mental turmoil (Ps 55:5–6), culminating in the wish to flee society (Ps 55:7–9). The wish for a sudden death for one’s enemies (Ps 55:16) occurs elsewhere in the Psalms; an example of such a death is the earth opening under the wicked Dathan and Abiram (Nm 16:31–32). The psalmist, confident of vindication, exhorts others to a like trust in the God of justice (Ps 55:23). The Psalm is not so much for personal vengeance as for a public vindication of God’s righteousness now. There was no belief in an afterlife where such vindication could take place.2 

In the Gospel of Mark, Jesus again finds a lack of understanding as He foretells His Death and Resurrection and asks the disciples about “Who Is the Greatest?”

 * [9:33–37] Mark probably intends this incident and the sayings that follow as commentary on the disciples’ lack of understanding (Mk 9:32). Their role in Jesus’ work is one of service, especially to the poor and lowly. Children were the symbol Jesus used for the anawim, the poor in spirit, the lowly in the Christian community.3

Mary Lee Brock reflects that Jesus, in today’s gospel, states that anyone who wishes to be first shall be the last of all and shall be a servant to all. And James gives us instructions on how we can refocus our lives by inviting us to humble yourselves before the Lord and he will exalt you. James reminds us that we are not on this journey alone and God invites us to a deeper relationship.

 This Lenten season, I am inspired to examine my life to become aware of how my ego gets in the way of my relationship with God.  I will explore times I am seduced by gossip or negative messages on social media and challenge myself to resist having my attention pulled in those directions.  I will humbly ask for God’s forgiveness. And I will celebrate the moments I feel the abiding love of God. 
And perhaps I will lean on the reminders provided by a Lenten fast from coffee or chocolate as these daily practices remind me of all of the constant temptations in the secular world and can support my focusing on what truly matters.  Today’s psalm is a wonderful prayer to take into Lent: Throw your cares on the Lord, and he will support you.4

Don Schwager quotes “Downward roots enable upward growth,” by Saint Augustine of Hippo, 354-430 A.D.

 "Observe a tree, how it first tends downwards, that it may then shoot forth upwards. It fastens its root low in the ground, that it may send forth its top towards heaven. Is it not from humility that it endeavors to rise? But without humility it will not attain to higher things (Proverbs 18:12). You are wanting to grow up into the air without a root. Such is not growth, but a collapse." (excerpt from THE GOSPEL OF JOHN, SERMON 38.2)5

The Word Among Us Meditation on James 4:1-10 asks what if we have already asked forgiveness of someone and it didn’t go well? Do we just walk away? Our pride may tell us we’ve done all we could. But if we ask God for the grace to seek reconciliation again, he might surprise us. He might help us find a more creative way to approach the person. Or perhaps we discover a blind spot in our own thinking that is an obstacle to reconciliation. Even if all we do is pray more earnestly for the other person involved, we may find our hearts softened toward them.

 Is there someone you need to reconcile with, especially someone you’ve approached before? Tomorrow is Ash Wednesday. As part of your Lenten journey, ask God to prepare your heart to reconcile with that person. No doubt you’ll be amazed at what God will do with this prayer!
“Jesus, as Lent draws near, grant me the grace I need to seek reconciliation and healing in this relationship.”6

Friar Jude Winkler notes that James reference to the “world” is to those who have rejected Christ. Jesus connects to the Son of Man in Daniel 7 and to the Suffering Servant of Isaiah. Friar Jude reminds us that the child is the symbol of those who we serve in need who cannot pay us back.

Fr. Richard Rohr, OFM, introduces his friend Russ Hudson of the Enneagram Institute, who has spent his life studying and teaching the Enneagram… He has such compassion for each Enneagram type, and he helps us have compassion for both ourselves and others. He has a gift for teaching the Enneagram as a tool to help us live in the Presence of God.

 So this whole [Body or Gut] part is teaching us what it means to actually live in the here and now, to feel our existence, and to operate from that, which gives us a sense of confidence, fullness, aliveness, being. In religious language, it’s like you feel held in the Presence of God. And it’s like feeling the solidity of spirit, the fullness, the gutsy vibrancy of presence, spirit, life, right now. To whatever degree we’re not present, we lose that sense. We lose the confidence, we lose the fullness, we lose the sense of existing. [2]
When we lose contact with our Essence, the personality attempts to “fill in” by providing a false sense of autonomy. [3]7

The season of Lent offers many opportunities to participate in the journey to humility and transformation to living the values we encounter in our relationship with Jesus.

References

1	(n.d.). James, chapter 4 - United States Conference. Retrieved February 25, 2020, from http://www.usccb.org/bible/james/4
2	(n.d.). Psalm 55 - United States Conference. Retrieved February 25, 2020, from http://www.usccb.org/bible/psalms/55
3	(n.d.). Mark, chapter 9 - United States Conference. Retrieved February 25, 2020, from http://www.usccb.org/bible/mark/9
4	(n.d.). Daily Reflections - OnlineMinistries .... Retrieved February 25, 2020, from https://onlineministries.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/daily.html
5	(n.d.). Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations. Retrieved February 25, 2020, from https://dailyscripture.servantsoftheword.org/
6	(n.d.). Meditations - The Word Among Us. Retrieved February 25, 2020, from https://wau.org/meditations/2020/02/25/
7	(2020, February 25). The Belly Center — Center for Action and Contemplation. Retrieved February 25, 2020, from https://cac.org/the-belly-center-2020-02-25/