Daily Readings - Tue Feb 25 2020
James
1What causes fights and quarrels among you? Don't they come from your desires that battle within you?2You want something but don't get it. You kill and covet, but you cannot have what you want. You quarrel and fight. You do not have, because you do not ask God.3When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures.4You adulterous people, don't you know that friendship with the world is hatred toward God? Anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God.5Or do you think Scripture says without reason that the spirit he caused to live in us envies intensely?6But he gives us more grace. That is why Scripture says: "God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble."7Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.8Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded.9Grieve, mourn and wail. Change your laughter to mourning and your joy to gloom.10Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up.
Mark
30They left that place and passed through Galilee. Jesus did not want anyone to know where they were,31because he was teaching his disciples. He said to them, "The Son of Man is going to be betrayed into the hands of men. They will kill him, and after three days he will rise."32But they did not understand what he meant and were afraid to ask him about it.33They came to Capernaum. When he was in the house, he asked them, "What were you arguing about on the road?"34But they kept quiet because on the way they had argued about who was the greatest.35Sitting down, Jesus called the Twelve and said, "If anyone wants to be first, he must be the very last, and the servant of all."36He took a little child and had him stand among them. Taking him in his arms, he said to them,37"Whoever welcomes one of these little children in my name welcomes me; and whoever welcomes me does not welcome me but the one who sent me."
Sermon
The readings today invite us to reflect on the nature of humility and the dangers of worldly desires. In the first reading from James, we hear a stern warning about the source of conflicts and divisions among believers. James reminds us that our struggles often arise from our own selfish desires and envy. He calls us to humility, urging us to draw near to God and to purify our hearts. This passage challenges us to examine our motivations and to recognize that true strength comes not from worldly ambition but from surrendering to God’s will.
In the Gospel, Mark presents Jesus teaching his disciples about his impending suffering and resurrection. The disciples, however, are more focused on their own rivalry, disputing among themselves about who is the greatest. Jesus responds by overturning their worldly understanding of power and status. He takes a child as an example, teaching that true greatness lies in humility and service. To welcome a child, Jesus says, is to welcome him and the Father who sent him. This passage reminds us that in God’s kingdom, the last shall be first, and the humble shall be exalted.
These readings call us to reevaluate our priorities and to embrace a life of humility and service. In a world that often values power and prestige, we are invited to follow Jesus’ example of self-giving love. Let us ask ourselves: Where do we allow envy or ambition to take root in our hearts? How can we serve others, especially the most vulnerable, as Jesus did? By humbling ourselves and drawing near to God, we open ourselves to his grace and allow his love to transform us. May we strive to live as children of God, trusting in his promise to exalt the humble.