Homily for September 22, 2012: Proper 20 B

 My sisters and brothers, to be great Christians we must focus our energies on those whose dignity is most abused or forgotten. 

In our first reading, the Prophet recognizes his enemies and prays for deliverance at the hands of God!  The plot against Jeremiah was instigated by his family and intimate friends.  Not all that different from Jesus being betrayed by one of his intimate disciples!

James has previously identified one sin commonly found in the community: intemperate speech. Now he seeks to correct a second: arrogance – and in the process, tells us the qualities of wisdom. His understanding of wisdom is like that of the Old Testament wisdom writers, and of Paul. If you live your life with “gentleness”, moderation, courtesy and humility (all qualities bound up in the same Greek word) then you are motivated by “wisdom.” 

But quarrels (“conflicts and disputes”) in the community show a lack of peace; they should be resolved. Are they not the result of conflicting inner urges (“cravings”)? The author gives two examples: murdering to gain what you do not have, and desiring something belonging to someone else. 

Ultimately he calls them to return to God.  To do this, they must “Submit … to God” and resist the devil’s influence.  God will not reject them but they must make the necessary effort. 

In our Gospel the disciples demonstrate the jealousy and competition that James preaches against.  To be great in the Kingdom of God, one must be peaceful and humble, respecting all (AKA, Wise). 

As you know, the disciples have been arguing over rank.  Jesus says, in effect: to be my disciple, you must abandon seeking positions and prestige.  To welcome a child “in my name” (because of regard for who and what I am) is to welcome me, and indeed God.  In Aramaic and Greek the word for “child” is the same as for servant, so one could also speak of welcoming a servant, one sent by his master.  If so, Jesus is saying: whoever receives the servant receives the master. Whoever receives a child receives Jesus, and whoever receives Jesus receives God, who sent him. Both child and servant are without status. They are unable to repay a kindness, in earthly terms. 

We humans do like our pecking orders, our signs of status, influence, etc.  Men and Women go about it very differently but we each experience the drive to have things our own way.  We each experience self-centeredness or egotism of some sort even though we act it out in very different ways.  The calling from God is to be “other centered.”  That is to lovingly and generously give of our selves rather than “take” for ourselves.  As Christians, we are to put the focus on those members of society who are the lowliest and most abandoned.  In our modern (American) society we have a certain base status, or individual rights, which are guaranteed by law.  However, we all know that if one is unable to defend those rights (fight back in some way) one can be grossly abused none the less.  In our society, we must focus on the people who are the most marginalized, who’ rights are most commonly abused or neglected.  They are the people without status in our society. 

Remember Jesus example from today’s gospel, children and servants were without legal standing or rights as we would say today.  Jesus is telling us that if we wish to be Great Christians we must put the focus on loving the lowliest and most abandoned of our society.  Those whose rights are most denied.