25th Sunday Year B: Homily by Fr Isaac Chima
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Readings:
Wis. 2:12,17-20; James 3:16-4:3; Mk 9:30-37
To have ambition in life is a wonderful thing.
It is always good to aim higher in our undertakings. In fact, God created us to
aspire for greater things and to bloom wherever we are planted. However, there
are two things that we must beware of: the kind of ambition we entertain and the
way we pursue our ambitions. In the readings of today, the church presents to
us the kind of ambition we should not entertain, and what we are not supposed
to do as we pursue our ambitions.
In the first reading of today, the author of
the beautiful book of Wisdom placed before us the kind of ambition that should
not be entertained and what we should not do as we pursue our ambitions. The
setting of the reading was the wrong conception of life by the wicked. They
conceived life as short, full of sorrows and directionless. So, to bring
consolation to their souls, they decided to aim at living a carefree life and
to be stumbling blocks in the lives of others. They said they will oppress the
poor and crush whoever stands on their way. To the just, whose life contradicts
what the wicked people have set as their goal, the wicked outlined perfect
plans on how to destroy their lives. They said: “righteous people are nothing
but nuisance, so let’s look for chances to get rid of them. They are against
what we do… so, let’s put them to the test. We will be cruel to them and
torment them.”
Dear friends, do we still have people whose
ambitions are to cause nuisance to the society, to the families or any group
they belong? Do we have those who plan the downfall of those who correct them? The
first reading is a wakeup call to people who are ready to blackmail, oppress
and destroy others just to achieve their goals. It is a call for a change to
those who trample on others as they pursue their desires. It is a call for a
change to those who are still selfish in the pursuit of their goals to the
extent that they don’t care if they have to subject others to untold hardship
or even kill in order to get to their goals. It is a wakeup call to those who
plan the downfall of those who correct them. The Church calls for a change of
such attitudes.
The second reading of today paints a vivid
picture of the consequence of blind and selfish pursuit of ambitions. Saint
James said where there is jealousy, selfishness and bitterness, there will also
be disorder and every kind of evil. He clearly identified selfish desires and
evil ambitions as the origin of the fights and quarrels among us in our
families and groups in the society. It is even funny, as noted by Saint James,
that people who are selfish in their desires count themselves as the wise people
of our world because they often get what they want either by force or by cunning.
But the truth, as Saint James also said, is that such wisdom does not come from
God; it is, therefore, unspiritual and demonic. Saint James also showed us that
God cannot grant prayers made for selfish desires.
Saint James finally advised us to always choose
the path of righteousness and humble service which leads to lasting
peace whenever we are pursuing a goal.
The gospel of today comes with a
live demonstration of the lessons we read in Saint James. The apostles of Jesus
were all aiming at the top position of their group, not according to the mind
and mission of Christ, but according to their selfish interests and distorted
understanding of what top position means. Did you notice that the apostles were
already having a bitter argument? Perhaps, if it were not for the swift
intervention of Jesus, what would have followed would have been quarrels and
disintegration of the group.
Dear friends, through His
intervention in the argument among His apostles on who will be the greatest,
Jesus teaches the apostles and all of us as well that what makes one great
in life and in the eyes of God is not the possession of the highest position,
rather it is having a child-like humility and offering selfless service in any
position one finds himself. He also teaches us that the best way to reach the
highest position cannot be by oppressing others, by tearing others
apart, by marching on others, by plotting the downfall of others or by
blackmailing others, rather it is by welcoming and serving the vulnerable in
our midst: the defenceless children, the despairing poor,
the mentally ill and the marginalized. This is the path of
righteousness in the pursuit of goals; this is the true path to greatness in
life.
Dear friends, in our quest to be
great in life, we must be ready to accept these four challenges: One, to put
ourselves last. Two, to be the servant of all. Three, to receive and treat
everyone, especially the most insignificant human beings, with love. Four, to
expect nothing in return for service rendered. In today’s Mass, let us ask the Holy
Spirit to help us to become truly great through humble and selfless service.
Fr Isaac Chinemerem Chima
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