Sunday Inbox Inspirations
25th Sunday in Ordinary Time
Cycle B
September 19, 2021
“…keeping up with myself”
A parent named George Durrant tells a little story about his children.
One day George took his three children to the playground at a nearby park. All three of them were on the swings.
The two older children – Devon and Katherine – had learned how to pump and swing on their own. They were going higher and higher.
Devon said, “I’m keeping up with Katherine.” And Katherine said, “I’m keeping up with Devon.”
The youngest child, little Miranda, wanted to try to start on her own without her father’s help, but she was barely moving. She simply said, “I’m just keeping up with myself.”
Getting Ahead of Others
Little Miranda helps us to appreciate one of the lessons in today’s gospel.
The apostles are arguing about which one of them is the greatest. I would say that underneath all of this, each of them wants to feel valuable and important.
What they really want is a sense of self-worth. And the apostles are trying to attain this by being seen as better or above one another.
In doing this, they are doing exactly the opposite of what little Miranda does on the swings. She doesn’t try to be better than her brother and sister.
Instead, she just keeps up with herself. Well, in response to the apostles, in Jesus brings a little child—maybe like little Miranda – he brings a child into the group and teaches two lessons.
1. The Value of Each Person
First, each person, each of us is already valuable just in being ourselves.
In Jesus’ culture, children were at the bottom of the ladder. For example, if a family did not have enough food, the father would eat first, then the mother, and only then would the children get what was left over.
To us, this sounds crazy and backwards. Maybe some of you or some of our parents held back on eating or on buying something so that the children could have enough.
Well, here Jesus says, “Whoever receives a child [and remember, a child is at the bottom of the ladder] – whoever receives a child such as this, receives me.” He is saying that a child and, very importantly, who that child symbolizes –the last or the least in society – these persons are valuable.
Our value is inherent in our very being. So, we can be like little Miranda on the swings and we don’t have to be seen as better or above anyone else.
This is why our Church teaches the value of human life from conception right through to natural death. There is an inherent value and worth in each person and in the life of each person.
This is why we are to respect human life. And, by the way, right here – in our inherent, God-given value – this is where we find our true self-worth and not in the way the apostles are looking for it.
2. Care for the Least
Then, Jesus teaches a second lesson that flows from this.
He calls us to care for the last or the least among us. He’s calling for a new mindset.
So, we are not to see ourselves as better than those whose income is at poverty level or who need financial assistance. We are not to look upon them as a drain on society but as being as valuable as ourselves.
I sometimes think of it this way. In a hospital, doctors and nurses and all the health care professionals simply treat us when we are sick.
They don’t ask if our intestinal or coronary trouble is our own fault because of eating all kinds of fatty foods and, if that’s the case, then they refuse to treat us. They simply treat us, help us to get better, and advise us on how to take care of ourselves.
Well, in the same way, we are to value the last or the least in our society. We are to care for them without questioning why they are the last or the least.
And interestingly, in doing this, we ourselves again will find self-worth. Our sense of self will be strengthened and enhanced.
Conclusion
So, some insightful, and maybe challenging lessons today!
Fr. Michael Schleupner
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