Sunday, September 22, 2024
Mikhail Kalashnikov was a Soviet lieutenant general, engineer, and inventor of small weaponry. His most famous invention is the AK-47 assault rifle. After converting to Christianity and becoming a member of the Russian Orthodox Church, he wrote: “My spiritual pain is unbearable. I keep having the same unsolved question: if my rifle claimed people’s lives, then can it be that I… a Christian and an Orthodox believer, was to blame for their deaths?” Many, like Kalashnikov, had regrets as they reflected on their life’s work, priorities, and decisions. J. Robert Oppenheimer regretted working on the Manhattan Project and taking part in the development of the atomic bomb after seeing the bomb’s devastating power of destruction. K-Cup creator and Keurig co-founder John Sylvan regrets inventing the coffee pod system, which critics call an environmental catastrophe.
The theme for today’s Lectionary is wisdom. The Readings underscore the contrast between worldly and divine wisdom. Just as perspectives changed the hearts of Kalashnikov, Oppenheimer, and Sylvan, the difference between worldly and divine wisdom can shape our lives. As St. James put it in today’s New Testament Reading, “For 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.” (James 3:16-17). The world proclaims that success, riches, and power will bring joy and fulfillment. However, pursuing these outcomes can lead individuals to moral corruption, loneliness, regret, and blindness to God’s truth. When we see things through the lens of our faith and God’s authority, wisdom guides our moral choices. If we choose love and service to God and our neighbors, our choices will lead us to true fulfillment.
In today’s Gospel, St. Mark exposes the humanity of Jesus’ disciples. Jesus taught them that He would be arrested, put to death, and in three days, He would rise, but they did not understand nor question Him. In Capernaum, Jesus and His disciples arrive, and Jesus inquires about their conversation during the journey. The disciples feel ashamed as they had been focused on self-promotion and ambitious personal status rather than on the values of humility, service, and the kingdom of God, which Jesus consistently emphasized. The passage from Mark foreshadows the reversed nature of Christian leadership, where the greatest is the one who serves.
Christ exemplified true greatness through his sacrificial love. As His followers, we are called to serve others with humility and kindness, for God’s wisdom values every person. Let us avoid gossip and judgment. Abandon pride and examine our ambitions and desires, aligning them with God’s will rather than worldly standards.
Go in Peace to Love and Serve the Lord.