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To Serve Is to Reign

| SPIRITUAL LIFE | SPIRITUALITY

Sunday, 29th week, OT

Father Steven Reilly, LC

Mark 10:35-45

James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came to Jesus and said to him, "Teacher, we want you to do for us whatever we ask of you." He replied, "What do you wish me to do for you?" They answered him, "Grant that in your glory we may sit one at your right and the other at your left." Jesus said to them, "You do not know what you are asking. Can you drink the cup that I drink or be baptized with the baptism with which I am baptized?" They said to him, "We can." Jesus said to them, "The cup that I drink, you will drink, and with the baptism with which I am baptized, you will be baptized; but to sit at my right or at my left is not mine to give but is for those for whom it has been prepared." When the ten heard this, they became indignant at James and John. Jesus summoned them and said to them, "You know that those who are recognized as rulers over the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones make their authority over them felt. But it shall not be so among you. Rather, whoever wishes to be great among you will be your servant; whoever wishes to be first among you will be the slave of all. For the Son of Man did not come to be served but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many."

Introductory Prayer: Lord Jesus, your apostles longed to follow you. You want to show me the difference between earthly and heavenly glory. For you, what matters is not being at Christ’s right or left but sharing in his redemptive work. As I kneel before you today, I want to offer myself and all of today’s struggles and efforts as a sign of my friendship and love.

Petition: Lord Jesus, help me to learn how to be a Christian leader.

1. Gentile Rulers, AKA, the Bossy Soul People who “make their authority felt” have a variety of ways to do so. Sometimes they thank you for your good idea and then proceed to tell you why it would never work. Their approach is sometimes subtle — a quiet reminder of potential negative consequences. Other times it can be a shout to help focus attention. We all know people like this, people who boss others around. Maybe we’re even one of them…. Jesus has only one answer for this outlook — his own example: “The Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve.…” Jesus is Lord, but he wasn’t bossy!

2. If Not a Gulp, at Least a Sip For James and John to follow Christ, they will have to “drink the cup” that the Lord will drink. What is this cup? Fast forward to Gethsemane: “Father, if you are willing, take this cup away from me” (Luke 22:42). Jesus’ own human nature struggled with the implications of full adherence to God’s plan. Ultimately, he would drink that cup — one of bitter suffering, to the very dregs. He called James and John to imitate him. He is inviting us as well. Fortunately, he prepares our souls to be generous. He guides us to greater spiritual maturity, offering us little “sips” from his cup. The small sufferings of daily life purify our souls.

3. Servant Leadership Jesus’ life was a “ransom for many.” He was the servant of Yahweh and, as such, he constantly served others in their most profound needs. Jesus met people where they were the weakest: he helped the blind regain their sight, the lame to walk, lepers to be cleansed, the deaf to hear, the dead to rise, and to the poor he preached the good news (Cf. Matthew 11:5). A leader has vision, but unless he is a servant leader, he may see only his vision. We cannot allow ourselves to be out of touch with the needs of those around us. Let us strive to serve others by meeting them on their level.

Conversation with Christ: Thank you, Lord, for this time of prayer. I have seen how you formed James and John. Through humble service of my neighbor, help me to go to the next level.

Resolution: I will perform a hidden act of charity for someone whom I find bothersome.

Homily of the Day

To Ransom Captives and Rescue Prisoners

October 18th, 2009 by Monsignor Dennis Clark, Ph.D.

Is 53:10-11 / Heb 4:14-16 / Mk 10:35-45

Deep in the Middle Ages wave after wave of Christians went on crusades to the Holy Land to liberate the holy places from the Moslems. These crusades went on for several centuries and failed in the end. But in the meantime there were vast numbers of casualties: many thousands killed or injured in battle, tens of thousands — including a king of France — cut down by disease on the way, and thousands more — including a king of England — held captive for ransom. Whole religious orders of priests were founded with the sole purpose of ransoming captives and liberating prisoners from the clutches of the heathens. And sometimes those priests would even offer themselves in exchange for the prisoners!

Just an isolated moment in history long ago and far away? We might think so, but Sunday’s Gospel disagrees. For, as we heard so clearly, Jesus defines his whole mission as ransoming captives. “I have come to give my life in ransom for the many.” In defining himself in that way, Jesus also defines our vocation as his followers. So we’d better figure out what this business of ransoming captives and rescuing prisoners is all about.

First of all, what it’s not about for us is dashing off to Lebanon or Iran or Iraq to negotiate with terrorists. Our task is more subtle than that, and our opportunities are much closer at hand. Jesus is asking us to do for one another what he tries to do for us. He’s asking us to invest our very best energies in the task of setting one another free from whatever holds us captive.

To understand that vocation we have to look closely at the kinds of things that enslave people. Just think of the fears, and angers, and grudges that hold people captive. Think of the bad habits of a lifetime that are trapping so many. Think of the bad ideas that imprison so many. And think of the compulsive need for things, the need for stuff, which holds so many of us hostage and forecloses the possibility of a happy life. Just call up in your mind’s eye the face of anyone you know, friend or foe, and you’ll see there, even in the very best of people, the hints of prison walls, the need to be set free.

So how do we go about helping one another escape our prison walls? Tons of free advice will rarely do it — we’ve already learned that! The most powerful, liberating gift we have to give is our steadfast, compassionate presence. Our strength, our goodness, and our willingness to continue walking at the side of our friend can, in time, become strength and goodness and freedom for our friend.

That is a wonderful gift we have to give: strength, goodness, and freedom. What a sadness it would be if we failed to give it!