Last Tuesday night I was torn between two television shows – The Jay Leno Show and Bizarre Foods with Andrew Zimmern. Leno was hosting Michael Moore with his new movie, Capitalism: A Love Story and Andrew Zimmern was with a hunting tribe in the Kalahari desert, Botswana, Southern Africa. I kept changing channels to get the best of both shows, and the contrast moved me that night. On the one hand, Michael Moore was trying to expose one of the stark realities of America – that 5% of the American population controls 95 % of the wealth. I checked this information for accuracy. A University of Southern California study suggests that in the United States, wealth is highly concentrated in a relatively few hands. As of 2004, the top 1% of households (the upper class) owned 34.3% of all privately held wealth, and the next 19% (the managerial, professional, and small business stratum) had 50.3%, which means that just 20% of the people owned a remarkable 85%, leaving only 15% of the wealth for the bottom 80% (wage and salary workers). This reality is also true globally. In the Kalahari desert, on the other hand, was a dozen indigenous hunters and three television crew who for a whole day had gone without a single prey. Finally, they were able to trap was a Red Hornbill which altogether weighed 5 ounces. They cooked this bird over open fire, and sitting on the ground around the fire shared this 5 ounce bird among 15 people. Each one got only a tiny piece of meat. But they sat there contented, un-anxious, nibbling on the bones and making the most of what came their way. I have to tell you – I have never seen people so contented with so little. The contrast became even more intense when I suddenly became aware of myself. Here I was, watching two shows on a 42” digital screen, in a comfortable living room sitting on a leather chair.
In last week’s gospel, Jesus had asked his disciples who they thought he was. After Peter’s revealing confession, in today’s gospel reading Jesus begins to talk about his impending suffering and death at the hands of people with vested interests. Shockingly though, the disciples are busy with a totally unrelated issue – “Who is the greatest?” In similar vein, today’s first reading narrates the instance of a few powerful and privileged people planning the destruction of the poor, innocent and underprivileged of Israelite society. So, here is my question. What is it about human beings that we have this inner urge to dominate others, to have more than others, to control others, to be better than others, and all this many times at the cost of others? What made the disciples so insensitive to the impending suffering of another human being? And what makes us fashion a world that thrives on inequality. And yes, who is the greatest?
In Matthew’s version of the same gospel episode, Jesus answers, “This shall not be among you.” (Mt 23:11). So what shall be among the followers of Jesus? “If anyone wishes to be first, he shall be the last of all and the servant of all.” (Mk 9:35). I would like to explore what Jesus meant by the above words. In the following three practical implications I would like to propose a way to live by the Jesus ethic.
a) “This shall not be so among you.” Nowhere in the gospel do we hear as clearly as here Jesus call to his followers to be different. In these words Jesus proposes a different ethic for those who follow him. Disciples of Jesus must follow a different kind of world order. The basis of such a world order comes from the very life and teachings of Jesus. So imagine that every parish in Dayton, every Christian home is a pocket that lives radically the message and life of Jesus. What would that community or family look like?
b) Here is s question that is designed to create self-awareness. What is our primary pursuit at this point of time? For example, the primary pursuit of the wicked in the first reading was exploitation of the weak. The primary pursuit of the disciples in the gospel reading was power and influence. What about us? In other words, what occupies our minds when we are alone and quiet for a moment? It could range from preoccupations about retirement, financial planning, health issues, family, relationships or even sports. If I had to say, let us connect our primary pursuit with the life and message of Jesus, would we be able to find a connection? Spend some time this week figuring out the answer to this question.
c) The letter of St. James gives us some very practical ways to live more closely to the ethic Jesus proposes. He says, “Where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there is disorder and every foul practice. But the wisdom from above is first of all pure, then peaceable, gentle, compliant, full of mercy and good fruits, without inconstancy or insincerity. And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace for those who cultivate peace.” (James 3:16) So, I guess the scriptures are telling us that our pursuits should be pure, peaceable, gentle, complaint, full of mercy, produce good fruits, and sincere. Perhaps we should evaluate our lives with these standards.
The Christ who said, “This shall not be so among you,” sat at table, broke bread, gave the cup and said, “Take this!” Then in total self surrender to God and to the world he gave his own body and blood and let his life become a ransom for the world. What do you think Christ’s pursuit was? What do we think Christ is saying and we break his body and share the cup today? May our participation in the body and blood of Christ help us to share intensely the message and life of Christ. Amen.
