Wis 2:12.17-20; Ps 54; Jas 3:16-4:3; Mk 9:30-37
Jealousy and Ambition
Dear friends, today is the 25th Sunday in Ordinary time. We get our theme today from the letter of St. James whose writing style is straightforward. Jealousy is a feeling of unhappiness and anger because someone has something or someone you want. When jealousy is uncontrolled, one can commit grave sin or crime to attain what he or she wants. Ambition is a strong desire for self-advancement. Ambition is a good thing but if the force behind it is jealousy, the person can cause harm to others while pursuing what they want. Jealousy and negative ambition thrive well in people who are lazy and idle. If we keep busy, we will not have time to be jealous of anyone.
The first reading today talks about the test for the just man. When we choose to strive for righteousness, we should also be prepared to face opposition from wicked people. the righteous are often put through suffering and torture to test their resolve. Suffering is not something that we desire. However, we experience sufferings of different kinds in our lives. This can be physical, psychological, emotional, and even spiritual. Sometimes we suffer because of sickness, injuries, injustices, conflicts, war, jealousy, negative ambition, gossip, loneliness, our principles, our beliefs, our own actions, etc.
For the wicked and corrupt people, a righteous man’s or woman’s presence is a nuisance that needs to be eliminated. We have read in the first reading that the wicked were planning to test the just man’s faith and hope in God with insults and torture. Many prophets were tortured and killed for condemning injustice among the people in the Old Testament. This is a prefiguration of what would happen to Jesus in the hands of the Jews. Jesus constantly challenged them to repent their evil ways and do good. When they were not able to stop him through insults and verbal challenges, they decided to put him to death. Little did they know that by putting him to death they accomplished God’s plan to liberate humanity from deceitful, corrupt, and double-speaking leaders. Evil always fights back. Do you face opposition because you chose to stand firm for what is right or are you the one persecuting those who challenge by their righteousness?
Evil is not God’s creation but the fruit of human selfishness and pride. Before every human being lies the path to redemption and perdition. It is up to everyone to choose which path to take. According to St. James, wars and conflicts come from jealousy and ambitious desires which battle with the desire for righteousness in our conscience. When we long for the things we do not have we have three options. We can either die of jealousy and envy towards those who have them, engage in corrupt and criminal activities, or pray to God while working hard to attain them. St. James reminds us that if we pray earnestly, God will always bless our efforts. Many times, we do not attain what we need because we do not ask and if we do, we do it in the wrong manner or for the wrong reasons. God will always find it difficult to answer prayers meant for the fulfillment of selfish ambitions. How do you pray? Do you mind others when you pray?
In the Gospel reading, Jesus is teaching us about humility. After announcing what was awaiting him in Jerusalem, his disciples were afraid to ask him anything because of what happened to Peter last week – “Go behind me, Satan”. None of them wanted to be called Satan. Instead, they argued among themselves about who among them was to take his place when he was dead and gone. Having realized their preoccupation, Jesus sat them down and taught them that humility was the surest road to greatness. “If anyone wants to be first, he shall be the last of all and the servant of all”. This is the direct opposite of how the world thinks, that to be great one must be corrupt, over-ambitious, or trample upon others. How did you acquire what you have today? Someone told me that they got big chunks of land when their father was the head of the village. I wondered whether that was something to be proud or ashamed of.
My dear friends let us today learn these things: that suffering for a good cause is a privilege and the best way to attain greatness is through humility.
Have a blessed Sunday.
Fr. Lawrence Muthee, SVD
SVD JAMBO KENTAN 