Homily Twenty-fifth Sunday Year B Humility and service
Homily
Twenty-fifth Sunday Year B
Reading
1:
Last
Sunday, we read from the prophet Isaiah where he prophesied about one who would
suffer innocently. It is called the Song of the Suffering Servant of God.
Though innocent they would beat him and put him to a cruel death.
In
today’s reading, we hear the same message but from another source, the Book of
Wisdom. The one who is attacked is a just one who claims to be the Son of God.
He is attacked because his words and actions confront his hearers for their wrong
doings. They revile, torture him and condemn him to a shameful death.
Who
is the author referring to and has it happened? How often did the leaders of
Jesus’ day put him to the test? Why did they put him to death? He said that he
was the Son of God, the Just One. While on the cross Jesus experienced the
fulfillment of this prophetic word. The religious leaders and the crowd mocked
him. They said: “If you are the Son of God, come down from the cross and save
yourself.” “Let’s see if God will save him.”
What
was more shameful in those days than to humiliate someone and publicly hanging
him on a cross, stripped of all dignity? But let us not judge them hastily. It
was our sins which he took upon himself. It was our sins which reviled him and
put him to death.
Reading
2:
Again
this Sunday we read from the Letter of James. What does James say is the root
of our sinful struggles? It is within ourselves that jealousy and selfish
ambition exist! But when the focus is the other out of love and concern from
true righteousness, then there is peace and right order.
He
further says that our passions, or what is understood as the seven capital sins
or roots of sin—pride, envy, anger, sloth, gluttony, lust and greed—are at the
core of our self-centeredness. When self is the focus, it is like the tentacles
of a giant octopus, drawing everything to itself. Try to hug yourself. Is there
anylasting satisfaction in that? But when we hug others in true love, what
happens?
Gospel
Last
Sunday, after Peter confessed in faith that Jesus was the Christ, Jesus shared
with the Apostles the true understanding of what was the mission of the
Messiah. He would be one who suffered a cruel death at the hands of others but
rise again. Peter objected strongly. Jesus corrected him sternly.
Sometime
later, Jesus predicts a second time concerning his upcoming passion and cruel
death. This connects with the first reading. Jesus further prophesied what the
author of Wisdom had also said. Just as the leaders of the day did not make the
connection, so the disciples of Jesus did not understand. Maybe they were
unwilling to do so.
This
time the Apostles didn’t respond directly, but only indirectly. Their focus was
not on Jesus so much as on themselves. Who was the greatest among them? Does
that come from wisdom from above or from sin within?
What
is Jesus’ response to them? Unless you have a change of attitude, namely see
things from a different perspective, you will not be able to be my followers.
You will not be able to overcome the sin within you. Unless you totally
surrender your life to me and give me permission to be Lord of every part of
your life, you will continue to walk the path you are on and remain controlled
by the sinful roots within.
What
is needed is a humility and a servant’s heart. Becoming like a child in one’s
attitude, depending totally on another, the Lord, trusting on the other, opens
one up to the Lordship of Jesus and the Fatherhood of God. In this lies our
true identity and true mission in life.
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