Homily For Tuesday of the Seventh Week in Ordinary Time Year B, 21st May 2024

 

Readings: James 4:1-10; Ps.55; Mark: 9:30-37

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

 

TRUE GREATNESS OVER HUMAN SELFISH AMBITION

 

The struggles of life always have a way of propelling us towards seeking to be ahead of other people. This desire makes us ambitious about acquiring things and holding high positions in any community we find ourselves. This is the disposition of the disciples of Jesus in our Gospel reading today.

 

Here, Jesus was telling them about his passion, death and resurrection, but they were arguing among themselves about who was greatest among them, though they tried to figure out what Jesus was saying. Yet they were afraid to ask him rather, their ambition was to be an important personality, wealthy or celebrity.

But, Jesus knowing the ugly intentions of his disciples, showed them the way to identify true greatness using the images of a humble child. Here, Jesus surprised his disciples by linking true greatness to the humility and simplicity of a little child and also showed how children can be the subject of a parable that reveals the vanity and deception found in some great persons. Because children are docile, humble, teachable, loving, forgiven and dependent.

 

Thus, Jesus explains that in the kingdom of heaven, true greatness is found in humility and children serve as a symbol of humility as they are dependent on adults for everything just as we also are dependent on God. Little children serve as concrete symbols of simplicity which is a condition for entering the kingdom of heaven. So, in children, we found these great virtues of simplicity and humility. Hence, parents should encourage their children to participate in activities where they display these virtues.

 

Dear friends, true greatness is found in humble service and not in human selfish ambition. For today we see in the lives of the disciples the danger of human selfish ambition and how to deal with it in relation to the mission of Christ especially in the midst of ignorance and proud people. Little wonder St. James in the first reading made us know that all the wars and fighting come from the corruptions of our hearts, it is right to mortify those lusts that cause war in our hearts. James accurately describes strife among Christians with the terms wars and fights. And these battles that happen among Christians are bitter and severe, and the source of these wars and fights is rooted in the carnality of mind and heart.

 

Therefore, we are reminded that true greatness and ambition are found in humble service to others. But this is exactly what many of us are lacking. We are so proud, greedy and selfish, as we are deeply attached to the pleasurable things of this passing world which prevents us from seeking true greatness that leads to the heavenly kingdom.

 

LET US PRAY: Lord God, amidst the danger of selfish human ambition in relation to your mission, we have become so much engrossed with the competitive activities of this world, seeking to be great in things that are passing away, grant that, we may embrace true greatness rooted in the humble service of our neighbours, we ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Do have a blessed and fruitful day.