Word to the Wise
Wednesday, February 24, 2016 - 2nd Week of Lent - Wed
[Jer 18:18-20 and Matt 20:17-28]WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 24, 2016 WEDNESDAY IN THE SECOND WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME [Jeremiah 18:18-20 and Matthew 20:17-28] "You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and the great ones make their authority over them felt. But it shall not be so among you. Rather, whoever wishes to be great among you shall be your servant; whoever wishes to be first among you must be your slave. Just so, the Son of Man did not come to be served but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many." [Matthew] One wonders if James and John and their mother were listening when Jesus spoke of the fate awaiting him in Jerusalem. In the Gospel of Matthew, it is Mom who asks. In the Gospel of Luke, the two apostles ask. Jesus replies that they will drink the same chalice of suffering, but there was no "place of honor" to be given. In short, the disciples had the wrong idea about the kingdom that Jesus was preaching. Scripture scholars and theologians warn us that the "kingdom of God" and the Church are not co-extensive! Nevertheless the Church is to be a sign of that kingdom and those who are called to serve must do exactly that and not "lord it over" those whom they are serving. On retreats for priests and deacons, one of the important challenges and questions that I present is this one: "How am I serving?" This places the matter of authority/power in a very different context, just as Jesus does when he calls the disciples together for today's gospel teaching. Those who seek power, authority, honor, prestige, etc. are dangerous. Pope Francis made that precise point in his famous Christmas 2014 address to the Vatican bureaucracy. He was talking to us as well. AMEN
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