The Competitive Edge: 25th Sunday in Ordinary Time

Friends,

It's been a tough week. I've had to make some tough administrative calls this week, there's a difficult situation in my family and I just finished a homily for the seminary's web site (their deadline is a week ahead of BlueCollarPreacher).

With my measly excuses now out of the way, all I have left to offer you is a rewrite of a homily from three years ago. I hope to have something new and fresh to deliver on Sunday. In the meantime, however, tak a look at this one and let me know how it could be improved.

Thanks,
JMS

“Then he took a child and stood the child in their midst… and said to them, ‘Whoever welcomes such a child in my name, welcomes me.’”

This is a touching scene from the Gospel of St. Mark.

I’m sure we’ve seen many depictions of Jesus with the children
throughout our life:
in prayer books,
children’s Bibles,
stained glass windows
classrooms and hospital corridors.

Regardless of how often we’ve seen a depiction
of Jesus with the children,
there is always something missing from the picture.

The visual representation
never includes the actual context
in which the words in today’s are spoken:

“What were you discussing along the way?” he asks.
But they remain silent
because they were arguing over who was more important.

So he informs them, in no uncertain terms,
that if anyone who follows him
and wishes to rank first, must be willing to be last of all
and servant of all.

Then, to make his point absolutely clear,
he places a child in their midst and says,
“Whosoever welcomes such a child,
welcomes me and whoso ever welcomes me
welcomes the One who sent me.”

So, you see, the passage is more about stiff competition
than it is about children;

The disciples, you see,
were trying
to elbow each other aside,
bragging about who was making the best impression.

So, when Jesus draws a child out of the crowd,
it is in response to their
jockeying for position and status,
he says,
“Those who receive a child in my name,
receive me.”

This is radical information!

He’s telling them to approach God
as they would approach a child.

What does this mean?

Well, ask yourself,
how do you go about
impressing a child?

Are they impressed with credentials
like diplomas and college degrees?

Are they impressed with
where we live,
what kind of vehicle we drive
or how much money we might have in the bank?

I don’t think so.

Rather, I heard once and then to believe this:

What children want to know is
will we accept them or reject them?

Will we help them or hurt them?

Can they believe us? Can they depend on us?

They’ll look at you and know whether or not
you can smile with your eyes as well as your mouth.

The message in today’s gospel is clear:

When that time comes to present ourselves to God,
what impresses a child impresses God.

Can we play a game without getting mad?

Can we forgive without getting even?

Can we smile with our heart as well as our lips?

Do we gaze in wonder at the stars?

Is each new day a miracle?

Do we take delight in flowers and like to run in the rain?