💖 HOMILY - MAY 21 💖

First Reading - James 4:1-10 

Gospel - Mark 9:30-37

Today’s Gospel outlines God’s criteria for greatness. Jesus’ Apostles shared the Jewish hope that the Messiah would be a political ruler, and that they would hold important portfolios in the Messianic kingdom. Hence, in today’s passage, Jesus warns his Apostles and the future hierarchy in his Church against the natural human tendency to pride and ambition. He exhorts the spiritual leaders, as well as all believers in responsible positions, to be humble, trusting, and innocent, that is, like children.

Children are basically innocent and honest. They are naturally humble because they depend on their parents for everything. They trust and obey their parents because they know their parents love them. Hence, Jesus advises his disciples to forget their selfish ambitions and to spend their lives serving others in all humility, with trusting Faith in a loving, providing God. Then they will be great in the Kingdom of Heaven.

Dear friends, we need to practice humility in thoughts, words, and actions. “Learn from me for I am meek and humble of heart.” St. Augustine asks, “What is the essential thing in the religion and discipline of Jesus Christ?” and then responds, “I shall reply: first humility, second humility, and third humility.” 

We should not seek recognition and recompense for the service we do for Christ and the Church as parents, teachers, pastors etc. Trusting Faith resulting from true humility is essential for all corporal and spiritual works of mercy. 

Since children reflect the innocence, purity, simplicity and tenderness of our Lord, and since they are given the protection of a guardian angel, we are to love them, train them, and take care not to give scandal to them. We need to try to treat everyone with love and respect because, “Beside each believer stands an angel as protector and shepherd leading him to life,” (St. Basil)