Word to the Wise
Tuesday, February 21, 2012 - Tuesday in the 7th Week in Ordinary Time
[Jas 4:1-10 and Mark 9:30-37]"If anyone wishes to be first, he shall be the last of all and the servant of all." Taking a child, he placed it in their midst, and putting his arms around it, he said to them, "Whoever receives one child such as this in my name, receives me; and whoever receives me, receives not me but the One who sent me."
In the time of Jesus, children had very little status, especially given the high infant mortality rate. The best thing a child could do for him or herself was to survive! Jesus picks a child to symbolize the "powerlessness" that the future leaders of the community should imitate. He does this in response to the discussion amongst the disciples as to who was greatest. It looks like the problem is a very old one.
Having been recently called to the leadership of the Dominican community that I am assigned to, I find myself having to abandon a position of "powerlessness" to accept one of "power." The irony is that I know from past experience that the power of my position is only as good as the cooperative spirit of those who have elected me! This means that my "power" can be illusory! Nevertheless, Jesus demonstrates over and over again that power is for service and not for ruling or ego satisfaction. At the last supper he washed the feet of the disciples and told them this would be the example he wanted them to follow. Perhaps the approach of Lent is a good time to ask in what ways we are "powerful" and how do we use that power for service? AMEN