Who would be the greatest among the disciples?  Who would make it to the top? Would it be James, John, Peter, or Andrew?  They did not know what greatness was. They would learn though. Jesus would show them greatness from a cross. That was the message that Jesus was trying to get across to his disciples after he heard them arguing about who should be first in the Kingdom of God[1]. He said that the first shall be last and servant to all. He put his arms around a child as an example of work, childcare, that might seem to be beneath the dignity of the great men they thought they would become.  For Jesus to be great was to serve. This is the point. Jesus calls us to be his disciples, His true followers.  He calls us to set aside our own desires for the sake of others.  He calls us to seek the greatness of humble generosity, to «rank first» among our families, friends and communities by taking on the spirit and role of being their servant. «If anyone wishes to be first, he shall be last of all and the servant of all.»[2]  The jealousy and selfish ambition that attacks the just man in the Book of Wisdom in our first reading this Sunday[3], and that James berates in the second reading[4] are the sad marks of the identification of the godless, people who have rejected God and His Son. The sign of the Christian is seen in his or her setting another’s needs over his or her wants. And we are all called to do this, continually.  Every day, every moment of the day you and I are called to consider others over ourselves.  The needs of the children, the sick, the poor and the elderly call us away from ourselves and call us into Jesus. Every day we have to resist the temptation to selfishness, the temptation to put ourselves before others. Every day we are called to greatness by conquering a mountain much more difficult than Everest.  We have to conquer ourselves.  Every day we are called to be the Presence of Jesus for others. And the infant cries.  And the girl with the MBA gets up to nurse him and change him. Her education was worth it. Someday she may go back to the office, but she has learned greatness through sacrifice. And the retired man spends at least eight hours a day making sure his wife suffering from dementia has care and company. He had learned a lot in his life. Now he is a teacher. He is teaching the rest of us what greatness is.  And the young single walks away from the bar scene, the wild scene, and becomes an AIDS buddy. He is a great person, using his time to provide care for the dying. In short: the goal of our lives is union with God.  The strength to achieve this union comes from Jesus Christ on the cross. He made Himself weak so we could be strong. Let us ask the Holy Spirit today for the gift of strength, the strength to reach out to others in charity, the strength to ascend the Mountain of God • AE

[1] Cf Mk 9:30-37 [2] Id. [3] Wis 2:12, 17-20 [4] Jas 3:16—4:3

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Fr. Agustin’s Schedule for Twenty-fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time

Sunday, September 19, 2021.

12.30 a.m. English Mass @ St. Dominic Catholic Church

3.00 p.m. Misa en Español @ St. Dominic Catholic Church

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XXV Domingo del Tiempo Ordinario (Ciclo B)

Ciertamente nuestros criterios no coinciden con los de Jesús. ¿A quién de nosotros se le hubiera ocurrido hoy pensar que los hombres y mujeres más importantes son aquéllos que parecen los últimos porque viven al servicio de los demás? Para nosotros, importante es el hombre de prestigio, seguro de sí mismo, que ha alcanzado el éxito en algún campo de la vida, que ha logrado sobresalir sobre los demás y ser aplaudido por las gentes. Todos esos cuyo rostro podemos ver constantemente en la televisión o en las redes sociales: Líderes políticos, premios Nobel, cantantes de moda, atletas excepcionales, influencers (¡el término es tan ridículo el pobre!) ¿Quién puede haber más importante que ellos? Según el criterio de Jesús, miles y miles de hombres y mujeres anónimos, de rostro desconocido, a quienes nadie hará homenaje alguno, pero que se desviven en el servicio sencillo y desinteresado a los demás. Hombres y mujeres que no viven para su éxito y egoísmo personal. Gentes que no actúan sólo para arrancarle a la vida todas las satisfacciones posibles para sí mismo, sino que se preocupan de la felicidad de los otros. Ciertamente hay una grandeza en la vida de estas personas que no aciertan a ser felices sin la felicidad de los demás. Su vida es un misterio de entrega y desinterés. Saben vivir más allá de sus propios intereses. Sin hacer cálculos. Sin medir mucho los riesgos. Hombres y mujeres que saben poner su vida a disposición de otros. No se imponen ni existen para sí mismos. Actúan movidos por su bondad. Una ternura grande envuelve su trabajo, su quehacer diario, sus relaciones, su convivencia. No viven sólo para trabajar ni para disfrutar. Su vida no se reduce simplemente a cumplir sus obligaciones profesionales y ejecutar diligentemente sus tareas. En su vida se encierra algo más. Viven de manera creativa. Cada persona que encuentran en su camino, cada dolor que perciben a su alrededor, cada problema que surge junto a ellos es una llamada que les invita a actuar, servir y ayudar. Podrían parecer los últimos, pero su vida es verdaderamente grande. Enorme. Luminosa. Todos sabemos que una vida de amor y servicio desinteresado merece la pena. Hoy podríamos orar humildemente tomando prestadas aquellas palabras del padre de Chardin: «Señor, responderé a tu inspiración profunda que me ordena existir, teniendo cuidado de nunca ahogar ni desviar ni desperdiciar mi fuerza de amar y hacer» • AE

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