ALL YOUR GOLD AND YOUR SILVER ARE CORRODING AWAY.

XXVI SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME - James 5:1-6

More than ever before, the value of things is measured by their profit. The bigger the profit, the bigger the value. Once they lose value, they are put aside and even completely discarded. The survival of many industries depends on their profitability. And big companies rise and fall according to the profit they bring to the shareholders. We have created a market economy driven solely by profit. In the past, the big landowners had enough wealth to lead an enjoyable life, like the rich man in the parable of the poor Lazarus, “who was clothed in purple and fine linen and who feasted sumptuously every day”. (Lk 16:19). Nowadays, the rich of the earth are those who can get huge profits from their investment. With wealth comes power and influence, being able to create new standards and new rules, and change the world. And the common people look to them as role models, trying to be like them in the pursuit of wealth, power and prestige. It is not surprising that money has become more than ever before the all-powerful god who dominates the world and is worshipped by many. On this subject, Jesus gave a stern warning, when he said: “You cannot serve God and money.” (Mt 6:24).

We need money to satisfy our basic needs and it is impossible to establish a society without money, as a means of exchange and as a means of rewarding the work done and bringing development and progress. However, when we pursue a profit at all costs, we become slaves of money and are ready to oppress and exploit others. Striving to become rich at all costs, we become blind to the reality of poverty and suffering around us. There is a need of creating wealth to overcome poverty, bring development and establish a fair society; but that will not happen unless we check our greed and lay down for a fair share of the wealth.

In his letter, following Jesus’ teaching, James stays on the side of the poor, point out the duties and responsibilities of the rich. 

In any given society, there will always be people who are not able to cope with the demands of life, due to many different reasons. We have created the welfare state to share with them and enable them to lead a life with dignity. However, we must be careful not to create dependency, making it possible for abled people to live on handouts instead of taking responsibility for their own lives.

James leaves a warning for the rich: 

“Start crying, weep for the miseries that are coming to you. Your wealth is all rotting, your clothes are all eaten up by moths. All your gold and your silver are corroding away, and the same corrosion will be your own sentence, and eat into your body.”

TO BECOME THE SERVANT OF ALL

XXV SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME - Mark 9:30-37

On his “way through Galilee”, Jesus concentrated on instructing his disciples. And what was the instruction about? Jesus is intent on preparing the disciples for his passion and death. After Peter’s profession of faith, recognising Jesus as the Messiah (Mk 8:29), he made the first announcement of his impending death. Then, Peter could not believe his ears and remonstrated with Jesus, telling him that such an outcome was not fitting for the Messiah. Jesus had to put Peter in his place, using harsh words to rebuke him. 

In this Sunday’s passage, Mark tells us the Jesus kept time to be alone with his disciples and, for a second time, he speaks about his passion. This time, the disciples kept quiet. They were puzzled, since they could not accept such an outcome and did not dare to put any objection to Jesus’ premonition; so they kept quiet. Their ideals and their expectations were on the other side of the spectrum. In their wildest dreams, they imagined themselves in high positions, with power to rule and wealth to enjoy. So they quarrelled among themselves about “which of them was the greatest”. The dream of greatness was embedded in their hearts and in the hearts of the people of Israel. The Messiah was expected to come with power, wealth and glory. He would be the King of Israel ruling over the nations of the world, and the disciples would have a share in that. So Jesus “sat down, called the Twelve to him and said, ‘If anyone wants to be first, he must make himself last of all and servant of all.” The only way to be the first is to become the servant of all. A life spent at the service of others is the only life worthy of living. Then Jesus “took a little child, set him in front of them, put his arms round him, and said to them, ‘Anyone who welcomes one of these little children in my name, welcomes me.”

A child is weak and fragile and depends on the others who have to care for him/ her. The parents, the family or the community must pay attention to the needs of a child. Left alone, a child will not survive. She cannot contribute to the welfare of the community; in fact, she is at the mercy of the community, and she may be ignored and abandoned. The disciples must be at the service of the poor, the weak, the oppressed, the sick and the suffering. Whenever we do that, we welcome Jesus. and we welcome the Father who sent Jesus to save us.

ANYONE WHO LOSES HIS LIFE FOR MY SAKE, WILL SAVE IT

XXIV SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME - Mark 8:27-35

Before Jesus, we are faced with God’s mystery and confronted with a simple question: “But you, who do you say I am?” Jesus demands an answer from which one of us. Peter gave the answer that became the standard answer: “You are the Christ.” The word Christ is not a personal name and is not either Jesus’ surname. Christ is the Greek word that translates Messiah, meaning the Anointed One, that is the one sent by God to fulfil his promises and bring salvation to his people and the world.

If Jesus is the Messiah, how is he going to bring about salvation? The people of Israel lived in the hope and expectation of the coming of the Messiah. He would usher in a time of peace, freedom and justice. The Messiah would defeat all the enemies and conquer all the nations to establish the rule of God. With him on the throne, there would not be any kind of oppression and exploitation. The understanding was that the people of Israel, as the chosen people of God, would be the first fruits and the standard-bearer of the new world established by the Messiah. These expectations were so deeply entrenched that the apostles could not understand otherwise. Being companions of Jesus, they were sure of sharing in the glory, power and wealth that will be the result of this new age, the age of the Messiah. However, Jesus is going to turn everything upside down. He had no political ambitions and considered money to be a false god, which cannot be served.

When Peter answered: “You are the Christ.”, Jesus “gave them strict orders not to tell anyone about him.” Once announced and proclaimed as the Messiah, he would become the head of a political movement, which would lead to a cry for independence, and then to war against the Roman oppressor. Jesus did not want any misunderstandings and made it clear that the way to salvation would lead him to suffering and death. Peter couldn’t stand it and “started to remonstrate with him.” Then, Jesus was harsh with Peter, calling him Satan, “because the way you think is not God’s way but man’s.” The way to salvation passes through suffering. It implies taking up our cross and being ready to lose our life.

We are not different from Peter and the other apostles. We fear suffering and death. The society which we live in puts forward a life without suffering as an ideal. We try to insulate ourselves and our children from adversity and suffering. As a result, we have young men and women who are not resilient and who despair of life at the slightest difficulty. The children of today are brought up as princes, whose whims are satisfied and to whom everything is given. As they grow up, they think that everything is theirs to grab. However, in society, life is hard and we need to be prepared to put up with difficulties and hardships. In difficult times, that’s when we can prove our worthiness. 

“Anyone who wants to save his life will lose it”. (Mk 8:35).

GOD IS COMING TO SAVE US

XXIII SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME - Isaiah 35:4-7

There are times when our hearts faint and we become hopeless. Life may become an unbearable load that seems that oppresses us from all sides and ends crushing us. The Qohelet recognises that in the end “all is vanity” (Qohelet 1:2). In the Scriptures, we find the people of Israel losing heart on so many occasions, sometimes due to their unfaithfulness and other times due to the situation around them. They experienced slavery in Egypt and many years later the exile in Babylonia. In the journey of life, there are moments of joy and moments of sadness, as the Qohelet says: 

“a time to weep, and a time to laugh;

a time to mourn, and a time to dance”. (Qohelet 3:4). 

In times of mourning, we have a feeling of going through darkness so thick that there is no glimpse of light. It is then that we need an encouraging word and a smiling face that may bring a bit of respite which will help us to go through the tunnel and find the light again. The prophet Isaiah is told by God to do just that:

“Courage! Do not be afraid.

Look, your God is coming”.

God has not abandoned us, even if we accuse him of doing that. When we mostly feel his absence, that’s when he is coming to our rescue, taking us by the hand and pulling us out of the deep. God himself will fight by our side and we will fight for us to annihilate the powers of evil which oppress us. God is coming to save us. That’s why we should not be afraid.

In Isaiah, God promises a time of reconciliation that will bring harmony, peace and plenitude. There will be a deep and real sense of well-being since all shortcomings and all kinds of handicaps will end. It will be a time for rejoicing because the Lord has listened to our plight and has set us free.

In the gospel, Mark presents Jesus fulfilling the promise made through the prophet Isaiah. Jesus healed a man “who had an impediment in his speech” (Mk 7:32). The people reacted with joy and praise, saying:

“He has done all things well,’ they said ‘he makes the deaf hear and the dumb speak.” (Mk 7:37).

“It is the Lord who gives sight to the blind,

  who raises up those who are bowed down.

It is the Lord who loves the just,

  the Lord, who protects the stranger.

The Lord upholds the widow and orphan

  but thwarts the path of the wicked.” (Psalm 146).

 Let us ask for the Lord’s protection and guidance for all those who go through difficult times. May they find joy and peace.