Twenty-ninth Ord B

There they go again.

Squabbles among the disciples. Who’s on first? Jesus will have no truck with the political struggles as seen among the Gentiles, just as Jesus gets upset with the religious rulers of the Jews switching man’s laws for God’s. Jesus overturns both world views. Power is in service. Not self-service but service on behalf of others.

Look at our first reading. What a strange worldview. The servant of God is a suffering servant. Is this servant noble? Yes. God is pleased with him. Is this servant rich? Yes. He will see for himself a long life full of accomplishments for the Lord. Does this servant have hope? Yes. He shall see light in fullness of days. But the servant of God is not the world’s noble rich. The Lord turns the world’s world upside down.

We see people in the world seek power and riches because of fear and blindness. Fear turns people to insulate themselves often behind stacks of money. They stand on these stacks and pretend they have positions of power and privilege. They care for no one as much as they care for themselves. Jesus says foohy. Jesus says be not afraid. Have trust in God. Have trust in me. If you empty yourself, you will live. Come down of your throne and leave your body alone. Somebody must change. And change with blind faith.

When I was a baby priest. A couple came up to me and said that they needed three hundred dollars because they were behind in rent. They had a gaggle of kids and these parents brought them all to church. So in my naievete, I gave them the money. I knew that it was foolish, but I was wet behind the ears with the oils of the priesthood of Jesus Christ. Weeks went by. I was in church and they came to Mass. Months went by and I decided I was as poor as they. Then they invited me to supper. After the meal, they handed me an envelope – three hundred dollars. I was overwhelmed. I couldn’t believe it. This Jesus-thing works. I suffered as they suffered and kindness and appreciation prevailed. It was blind faith – not that I would get my money back. I thought it was gone for good. It was blind faith in the way of the Lord.

I was confident, then, to approach the throne of grace to receive mercy and to find grace for timely help. I could call upon the name of the Lord because we shared the same name – foolish servant.

And so this is Mission Sunday. That means a second collection. Money from our wallets given to people who share the same name as Jesus – Suffering Servant. We become less so the less can have more. We become servant to the servants who will make it possible for us to stand before the Lord, unashamed but not boastful.

And I think we get it here in this parish. Look at our support of Response to Love- all our bags of goods from the foodmarts, all the loose change we have in our pockets. Whatever was left over from our rummage sale went to Nicaragua and to a home for battered women and children. Even giving a few trinkets so our Religious Ed. Students can go to St. Elizabeth’s home and provide prizes for the bingo games our kids host for the residents there. Buying tickets for the turkey raffle not so much to win a turkey but to see that at least twelve familes in need will have turkey for Thanksgiving. To take a ticket from the Giving Tree at Christmas so that families can share in the spirit of Christmas. We get it. To be less is to be more. To be gentle is to be strong. To feel powerful is to give up the means to power. To be of service is to share who we are and what we have. To be king of the mountain is to lend a hand to others struggling to get out of that ditch they find themselves in.

Lord let your mercy be on us as we place our trust in you. May your kindness, O Lord, be upon us who have put our hope in you.

owner

2009-10-11