What could a child teach us?
by Sister Mary Kabat
As I read the Gospel for this 25th Sunday in Ordinary Time (St. Mark, 9:30-37), I kept my focus on Jesus. My heart filled with sadness as he told his closest followers that he would be put to death. And what were they focused on – who of them was the greatest! How did Jesus respond? He used it as another teachable moment to form their hearts and minds. Wrapping his arms around a child in the house, probably one of his disciples’ children, he taught them that to be first, one must be last; to be great, one must be the servant.
Haven’t we all wanted at times to be the greatest, to be first, to be the best, to be the one getting the attention, the one who wins the argument … and have everyone know it. But in the Second Reading (St. James, 3:16-4:3) he shows us that he did learn Jesus’ lesson that day. James tells us that being wise is to be “peaceable, gentle, compliant, full of mercy and good fruit.” Doesn’t our world need us to be Jesus’ followers now more than ever? It is not about who is right, who is strong, who has the power, who can fight. It is about who knows the truth, who will do what is good for self and others, who has compassion for others, who will strive for peace … even if no one may know our name, like the little child Jesus hugged. Jesus knows!
May God bless us with every gift of the Spirit,
so that we may serve one another in Jesus’ name,
for the glory and honor of God.
Mary, this is so beautiful. So precious .... healing medicine for the soul. It's as if you have 'discovered' and are now 'telling' and 'sharing' with us the "secrets of the kin[g]dom of heaven," just as JESUS did. JESUS 'knew' and understood the 'secrets' of G O D's ways, and this kind of utter humility .... 'vulnerability,' as Renee names it ... is the key to the kin[g]dom's treasures.
"More precious than silver; more costly than gold; more beautiful than diamonds," as the song goes .... so is the Love and the Life and the Light that JESUS shares. And yes ...... how readily the 'little child' in-us 'knows' this. How good and how wisely clever is JESUS to remind us, and help us remember .....
Your message is the balm we need, Mary. Your message is the healing balm of 'truth' we need to hear. And only 'truth' will 'save / salve' us ......
S/He-Who-Is-Truth-is-Holy Spirit. "Come, HOLY SPIRIT, Come!"
Thank you, Mary, for being an open instrument of 'spirit' and 'truth .....' Such as these the Father seeks ... [Jn. 4: 23-24]
Interestingly, the world 'vulnerable,' used by Renee, is derived from the Latin noun vulnus ("wound"). The word 'humble' originates from the Latin word humilis, meaning "low." And 'humus,' "of earth."
We, the wounded, of wounded Earth, are in need of the healing balm of G O D / Holy Spirit ..... the healing balm of 'the kin[g]dom of heaven,' as JESUS taught us.