Holy Expectations (B 21 May 24; Mk 9:30-37)

 

Jesus gives a fairly demanding instruction to his disciples when he tells them that they must be servants to all.  If they want to be first, Jesus says they must be last, not like the rulers of the day.  Jesus warns against the kind of authority figure who seeks power and control over others.  Rulers of this sort are interested in securing status and personal esteem at the expense of those under their rule.  Beyond this, they care nothing for those around them.

Despite how we might agree with Jesus on this score, the alternative that he calls for isn’t very attractive either.  We do not usually aspire to be a servant, for we tend to think of servant positions as low paid and demeaning.  Being a servant goes too much against the cultural and political grain of our day.  And yet, this is the precise role that Jesus calls for in his instruction to the disciples. This presents a dilemma for us.  If we are to follow this counsel, we must make sense of what it means to be a servant in today’s world. 

The clue is in the characterization that Jesus gives of himself when he says that “the Son of Man did not come to be served but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many” (Mt 20:28).  Jesus is the Divine Word that created the entire universe, and yet, he humbled himself to share in our humanity as servant to all.  The guide and measure in his mission of service was love for the children of God and love for his creation. We can do no better than to imitate his mission of service in our own lives.

We know what this means.  Isaiah clearly revealed the heart of what it means to serve when he says of the Lord, “This…is the fasting that I wish: releasing those bound unjustly…setting free the oppressed, breaking every yoke; sharing your bread with the hungry, sheltering the oppressed and the homeless; clothing the naked when you see them, and not turning your back on your own (Is 58:6-7).  Such conduct simply follows a principle of love.        

Jesus appeals to this same principle when he addresses the issue of wealth in many of his parables.  With such parables, Jesus does not condemn the possession of wealth.  Rather, he insists that wealth must be shared with those in need.  Jesus expects us to care about what happens to those around us with real care and support.  This is especially true with respect to the poor and the vulnerable members of society.

This perspective challenges us to uphold a different vision of life.  Jesus outlines the parameters of that life with his focus on service.  For Jesus, a person’s worth is not determined by appearance or income or ethnic background or even citizenship status.  Rather, because each person is created in the image and likeness of God, each of us is an inviolable gift of God with a sacred worth.  For this reason, Jesus reminds us with his many parables about wealth that the values of the kingdom—compassion, justice, mercy, and care for the least of his beloved—are not arbitrary values.  These are holy expectations of the One who created us and loves us.

Jesus knows what it takes to be servant to all, and he has shown us the way.  He simply asks that we follow him.

 

Follow the Spirit's Lead (B Pentecost 24; Jn 20:19-23)

Pentecost is a special feast in both the Christian and the Jewish calendars.  For Judaism, this feast is known as Shavuot and celebrates the giving of the Torah, or Ten Commandments, on Mt. Sinai.  The major elements of the encounter between Moses and God on the mountain were a mighty wind and fire.  The wind was the breath of God, the source of all life, while the fire was a manifestation of his holy presence.

We do not think of this event as a “giving of the Torah” because we usually associate the word “Torah” with the first five books of the Old Testament, or the Law of Moses.  The ancient Israelites used the word “Torah” in that same sense as well, but the word “Torah” also had a more comprehensive meaning.  For them, “Torah” could refer to any set of instructions or teachings on how to live rightly, like those often given by a father to his children.

This is how the Israelites understood the Ten Commandments given by God to Moses on Mt. Sinai.  They understood the Ten Commandments as the Torah, a set of teachings on right living from a loving father to his children. Their subsequent embrace of those commandments sealed their covenant with God and marked a renewal of their commitment and dedication to God.  A sign of their commitment was their pledge to do all that God asked of them. 

The Christian feast of Pentecost has a similar meaning.  For us, Pentecost celebrates the coming of the Holy Spirit.  As happened on Mt. Sinai, the mighty breath of God and the fire of his holy presence sweep through the community of disciples gathered in the Upper Room.  When Jesus breathes on them, they receive tongues of fire as the life of God, the gift of the Holy Spirit.  The Christian Pentecost is therefore a new Mt. Sinai experience that fulfills the promise of Jesus.  He promised to send his Advocate who will teach us all things and guide us to all truth (Jn 16:13).

The original fulfillment of that promise at Pentecost is not the end of the story, however.  Once the disciples receive the Holy Spirit, they receive new life.  They are no longer afraid.  They are transformed.  They are filled with courage and excitement.  They go out with all daring and eagerness to proclaim the good news of salvation.  Pentecost for the disciples marks a renewal of their commitment and dedication to God as it did for the Israelites.  Like the Israelites, the disciples did all that God asked of them as a sign of their commitment to God. 

In turn, the Holy Spirit empowers the disciples to cure disease, to cast out demons, to persuade others to convert, and to perform miracles in the name of Jesus Christ.  The first observers greeted this astonishing behavior with confusion.  For, there were many different ethnic groups present, and yet, each heard the preaching of the disciples in their own native language.  Their confusion turned to amazement and then to accusation.  These first observers accused the disciples of being drunk.  Eventually, however, their reactions gave way to the obvious question—what does all this mean? 

The question they pose to Peter—what are we to do—is the same question we face today.  What does Pentecost mean for us?  What are we to do?  Peter responds in very clear terms.  Repent and be baptized, and you will receive the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:38).  Peter further claims that “this promise is made to you and to your children and to all those far off, whomever the Lord our God will call” (Acts 2:39).  In other words, the promise applies to us as well.

The baptism Peter has in mind is the one foretold by John the Baptist who said of Jesus, “he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire” (Mt 3:11).  Baptism in this sense means to live in the Spirit of Christ, while repentance makes this choice possible.  Repentance reflects a change of mind and heart toward God.  When we repent, we change our minds about how to live, about what is important, and what values will motivate and guide our daily lives.  Repentance on these terms is a fundamental choice to do good in imitation of Jesus and to be motivated by his love for others. 

This is the message that Jesus preached long ago.  He calls us to follow him by living a certain kind of life, to be a certain kind of person—a loving person.  The decision to follow Christ is thus a decision to be led by the Spirit who enables us to be loving, kind, patient, understanding, merciful, and just, especially towards the poor and vulnerable members of our society.  The Spirit of Christ helps us be the kind of person we are called to be—a person of integrity rooted in the dual commandments to love God and to love our neighbor.

This is the background for the command that Jesus gives to his disciples.  When Jesus says to love one another as I have loved you, he establishes love as the fundamental model and principle of right living.  This is his teaching and our calling.  Our calling to love one another is therefore not a rule or command in the way an authority figure tells subordinates to do this or that.  Rather, love in the Spirit of Christ is the guide and measure of our lives and intentions.  When we love others with the Spirit of Christ, we know we are on the right path.

We are not alone in responding to this calling by the one true God, however.  In our Profession of Faith, we say, “I believe in the Holy Spirit.”  That means we believe the Holy Spirit is a powerful creator who can intervene in the physical reality of human beings.  The Holy Spirit comes at the bidding of Jesus and is eager to help us be who we are called to be in the Spirit of Christ.

The Christian feast of Pentecost is therefore a celebration and reminder of the transformative power of the Holy Spirit.  How the Holy Spirit transforms each of us today may be different than it was for the Apostles.  There are many gifts, but one Spirit.  The promise of transformation and empowerment, however, remains the same. 

For that reason, we can pray with confidence in the Spirit of Christ:  Send forth your Spirit, Oh Lord, and each of us shall be created, each of us made new, each of us transformed into persons who can lead better lives.  In the words of St. Paul, if we live in the Spirit, then let us follow the Spirit’s lead (Gal 5:25).  Under the protection and guidance of the Holy Spirit, we can love others and touch their lives as Christ loves and touches each of us.