Daily Readings - Tue May 22 2018
James
1Where do wars and contentions among you come from? Is it not from this: from your own desires, which battle within your members2You desire, and you do not have. You envy and you kill, and you are unable to obtain. You argue and you fight, and you do not have, because you do not ask3You ask and you do not receive, because you ask badly, so that you may use it toward your own desires4You adulterers! Do you not know that the friendship of this world is hostile to God? Therefore, whoever has chosen to be a friend of this world has been made into an enemy of God5Or do you think that Scripture says in vain: "The spirit which lives within you desires unto envy?6But he gives a greater grace. Therefore he says: "God resists the arrogant, but he gives grace to the humble.7Therefore, be subject to God. But resist the devil, and he will flee from you8Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners! And purify your hearts, you duplicitous souls9Be afflicted: mourn and weep. Let your laughter be turned into mourning, and your gladness into sorrow10Be humbled in the sight of the Lord, and he will exalt you
Mark
30And setting out from there, they passed through Galilee. And he intended that no one know about it31Then he taught his disciples, and he said to them, "For the Son of man shall be delivered into the hands of men, and they will kill him, and having been killed, on the third day he will rise again.32But they did not understand the word. And they were afraid to question him33And they went to Capernaum. And when they were in the house, he questioned them, "What did you discuss on the way?34But they were silent. For indeed, on the way, they had disputed among themselves as to which of them was greater35And sitting down, he called the twelve, and he said to them, "If anyone wants to be first, he shall be the last of all and the minister of all.36And taking a child, he set him in their midst. And when he had embraced him, he said to them37"Whoever receives one such child in my name, receives me. And whoever receives me, receives not me, but him who sent me.
Sermon
In today’s readings, we are invited to reflect on the themes of humility, service, and the transformative power of grace. The first reading from the Letter of James confronts us with the reality of conflict and division, which arise from our own selfish desires and worldly ambitions. James calls us to recognize that our struggles often come from within, from a heart divided between God and the allure of the world. He urges us to humble ourselves, to resist the devil, and to draw near to God, promising that God will then draw near to us. This passage reminds us that true peace and harmony can only be found by surrendering our pride and embracing a life of humility and grace.
In the Gospel, Mark presents us with a contrasting vision of greatness. Jesus predicts His own suffering and death, but the disciples are more focused on arguing about which of them is the greatest. Jesus responds by upending their understanding of power and status. He takes a child as an example, teaching that true greatness is found in serving others with humility. To welcome a child in His name, Jesus says, is to welcome Him and the One who sent Him. This passage challenges us to reevaluate our priorities and to embrace a life of selfless service, recognizing that the last shall be first in the Kingdom of God.
These readings are deeply connected, as they both call us to reject the worldly pursuit of power and status and instead to embrace a life of humility and service. James warns us against the dangers of envy and arrogance, urging us to seek grace through humility. Mark’s Gospel shows us that true greatness is not about dominance but about love and service. As we reflect on these readings, let us ask ourselves: Where are we allowing selfish desires to divide us? How can we humble ourselves and seek God’s grace? How can we serve others with the same selfless love that Jesus has shown us? May we strive to live as children of God, welcoming Him into our lives and into the lives of those around us.