Daily Readings - Sun Sep 22 2024
James
16For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there will be disorder and every vile practice.17But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere.18And a harvest of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.
1What causes quarrels and what causes fights among you? Is it not this, that your passions are at war within you?2You desire and do not have, so you murder. You covet and cannot obtain, so you fight and quarrel. You do not have, because you do not ask.3You ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly, to spend it on your passions.
Mark
30They went on from there and passed through Galilee. And he did not want anyone to know,31for he was teaching his disciples, saying to them, "The Son of Man is going to be delivered into the hands of men, and they will kill him. And when he is killed, after three days he will rise."32But they did not understand the saying, and were afraid to ask him.33And they came to Capernaum. And when he was in the house he asked them, "What were you discussing on the way?"34But they kept silent, for on the way they had argued with one another about who was the greatest.35And he sat down and called the twelve. And he said to them, "If anyone would be first, he must be last of all and servant of all."36And he took a child and put him in the midst of them, and taking him in his arms, he said to them,37"Whoever receives one such child in my name receives me, and whoever receives me, receives not me but him who sent me."
Sermon
The readings today invite us to reflect on the nature of true wisdom, the roots of conflict, and the call to humility. In the first reading from the Book of Wisdom, we hear the voice of the wicked plotting against the just, testing whether God will truly come to the defense of the righteous. This passage reflects the age-old tension between those who live according to God’s ways and those who reject them. The wicked, driven by envy and malice, seek to destroy the just, believing that their own power and schemes will prevail. Yet, this passage also hints at the ultimate vindication of the righteous, as God’s wisdom and justice will shine through in the end.
The second reading from the Letter of James complements this theme by identifying the source of conflict and division. James reminds us that wars and quarrels arise not from external circumstances but from the desires that wage war within us. He contrasts earthly wisdom, which is marked by envy and selfish ambition, with the wisdom that comes from above, which is pure, peaceful, and merciful. True wisdom, James tells us, is not about winning arguments or achieving power but about sowing peace and justice in our relationships with others.
In the Gospel, Mark presents Jesus teaching his disciples about the true nature of his mission. Jesus predicts his passion and resurrection, but the disciples fail to understand, and instead, they argue among themselves about which of them is the greatest. Jesus responds by placing a child in their midst, teaching them that true greatness lies in humility and service. To welcome a child, he says, is to welcome him and the Father who sent him. This lesson challenges us to reorient our priorities, recognizing that the last shall be first and the servant of all shall be the greatest in God’s kingdom.
These readings call us to examine our own lives and relationships. Where do we allow envy, ambition, or selfishness to take root? How do we respond to suffering or misunderstanding? The wisdom of God, as revealed in these passages, is not about power or prestige but about humility, mercy, and self-giving love. Let us strive to live out this wisdom in our daily lives, seeking to serve rather than be served, and to welcome the least among us as we would welcome Christ himself. In doing so, we will find the true peace and justice that only God can give.