Word to the Wise
Thursday, January 11, 2007 - First Thursday in Ordinary Time
[Hebrews 3:7-14 and Mark 1:40-45]He [the cleansed leper] spread the report abroad so that it was impossible for Jesus to enter a town openly. He remained outside in deserted places, and people kept coming to him from everywhere.
I believe it was Andy Warhol who said, "Everyone is famous for 15 minutes." Fame and notoriety bring notable challenges, including loss of privacy, public criticism, and constant demands for attention from those who vicariously live their lives through celebrities. Sometimes the fame comes simply from being chosen for a particular position. The contrasting public styles of Pope Benedict XVI (an introverted scholar) and Pope John Paul II (a man who knew how to use a stage) are an example. The public has expectations of the position and woe betide the person who fails to live up to those. In the Gospel of Mark, Jesus consistently asks the people whom he has helped NOT to let others know about it. He knows that fame of the spectacular type can detract from the true meaning of his ministry. The irony in all of this is that if people had truly accepted him for who he was (is and will be), the fame would have been beyond belief. In point of fact, however, he was consistently misunderstood by the public and by his closest collaborators. Fame meant constant demands for more miracles and healings - so much so that he couldn't even go into a town without being mobbed. When the expectation is for help with illness or sorrow, the message of repentance can get lost very quickly. Perhaps we might ask ourselves about "fame" in our lives. Do we need our "15 minutes?" How "famous" is Jesus to us? What do we expect of him as a result of this "fame?" Whose expectations are controlling here anyhow? AMEN
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