17 May 2016 - the greatest

[ Today's Readings ]

“What were you arguing about on the way?” 
But they remained silent.
For they had been discussing among themselves on the way
who was the greatest. 

We are more eager to be the greatest than we like to admit. This doesn't necessarily mean that we want to be in the most powerful and prestigious roles of leadership. Instead there are many more subtle ways in which we compare ourselves to others. We want to be and do good. But there is a lot of vanity wrapped up in that motivation. If it is all about us and our abilities there is no way around this. When we try to force things with our own strength we are frustrated.

Where do the wars and where do the conflicts among you come from?
Is it not from your passions that make war within your members?
You covet but do not possess.
You kill and envy but you cannot obtain;
you fight and wage war.

Wars, conflicts, coveting and killing, are all symptoms of attempting to solve problems by relying on ourselves. These sorts of efforts, when they do succeed, tend toward pride. That is the hindsight that shows us our motives were mixed in the first place. Thanksgiving is the hindsight that shows us that our motives were pure. 

God resists the proud,
but gives grace to the humble.

So let us embrace the humility which does not compare or compete. Let us become like little children.

Taking a child, he placed it in their midst, 
and putting his arms around it, he said to them,
“Whoever receives one child such as this in my name, receives me;
and whoever receives me,
receives not me but the One who sent me.”

This transforms the whole Christian life from something that is mostly a struggle to something that is all gift. Even though there is still a struggle, we do not struggle alone. We do not succeed alone. 

So submit yourselves to God.
Resist the Devil, and he will flee from you.
Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you.

God is ready at every moment to draw near to us. He just asks that we become like little children. He asks that we not insist on doing things on our own apart from him. He asks us to trust in his mercy.

Cast your care upon the LORD,
and he will support you;
never will he permit the just man to be disturbed. 

Never? It is written!