050 25th Sunday in Ordinary Time

Readings

Cycle B 25th Sunday in Ordinary Time

Wisdom 2: 12, 17-20; Psalm 54: 3-6, 8; James 3:16—4:3; Mark 9: 30-37

Homily Theme

A Little Test

Ounce again, there are many different themes in the readings and it is difficult to apply one single theme to all of them. I would like to suggest that we apply a little ‘test to our spiritual lives in regard to them. In the first reading notice how many times the word ‘us’ is used, when it should be about Him who is being prophesied. In the second reading, James speaks of jealousy and selfish ambition which causes disorder in our lives, because everything is about us and not Him. In the Gospel Jesus is teaching them an important truth about His death and resurrection but they are too busy arguing about who is the greatest among them, because it is all about them, not Him. When Jesus challenges them about this, He shows them a little child. We must become little like a child if we wish to be truly great. The great Saints were little in their own eyes. It was never about them, it was always about Him.

Let us try a little test. Is everything about me? Am I always talking about me and my accomplishments? When I am with others do I ever give them a chance to speak? Am I always trying to jump in and show them how important I am? Do I bore others to death talking about my accomplishments and my interests? Am I as good a listener as I am a talker? Am I ever quiet long enough to hear others speak to me about their interests? We have an example of this today in the Gospel. The apostles had a problem arguing about who was the greatest among them instead of hearing Jesus talk about His coming death and resurrection? Fortunately, they did eventually learn to forget themselves and center their lives on His death and His resurrection.

All the great Saints were canonized because it was never about them: it was Jesus. We had a wonderful example in Blessed Mother Teresa of Calcutta. She in her in her littleness could say, like a child, “All for Jesus.” It was all about Him not her. Pope John Paul II was a great example as he humbly kissed the ground when he left the aircraft. He became John Paul the Great because it was all about others not him.

Pray for me to learn true humility since I can preach it but I am still not yet truly humble: I must learn to practice what I preach. What about you? Is it all about you? Are you too much aware of you and your feelings? All the great people in our world are those who acknowledge any giftedness they possess comes from God and they are truly humbled by it. It makes them like that little child in the Gospel today. In God’s eyes they are great because He gave them their gifts and talents and they humbly accepted them. If we can pass the test to become little then, we too, shall become truly great in heaven.