| First Reading |
Psalm |
Epistle |
Gospel |
| Micah 3:5–12 |
Psalm 43 |
1 Thess. 2:9–13 |
Matthew 23:1–12 |
Perhaps there is inevitably an ambiguous line between contagious enthusiasm and uncontrolled ambition, between genuine motivation and plain selfishness, and between honest conservation and disguised greed. Discipleship involves being on guard and continual discernment between all of them. The faith community may be the singular place in our society where this line at least is recognized and regularly struggled with.
More than once in the Gospels Jesus is frustrated with the disciples' petty contentiousness among themselves and selfish thirst for recognition above their peers. Towards the conclusion of his ministry in Galilee, Jesus heard the disciples arguing over who among them was the greatest, so Jesus reminded them " if anyone wishes to be first, he must make himself last of all and servant of all" as he stooped down and gathered a small child in his arms. (Mk.9: 35) A while later as they were on the way to Jerusalem, James and John caused dissention by requesting to be given special places of honor, and again Jesus warned them all "you know that among the gentiles, their so-called rulers lord it over them and their great men make their authority felt. This is not to be among you. Anyone who wants to be first must be servant to all. For I did not come to be served but to serve." (Mk. 10:41-44) Perhaps the most poignant incident was at the last supper, when dispute among which of the disciples was the greatest again arose. Jesus again reminded them "the greatest among you must behave as if he were the youngest, the leader as if he were the one who serves. For who is greater; the one at table or the one who serves? The one at table, surely? Yet here am I among you as one who serves. (Luke 22:24-27) John seems to preserve this episode by mentioning that before they sat down to eat, it was Jesus, not a servant who took off his tunic and washed the disciples' feet as he reminded them as "if I the Lord and Master have washed your feet, you should wash each other's feet. I have given you an example so that you may copy what I have done to you." (Jn. 13:13-14) Obviously the first disciples needed periodic reminders and so do we.
Today's Gospel from Matthew is clearly a warning to all present and future leaders of the church to be on guard against religious self-righteousness and arrogance. Games of who is the most pious and humble of course are included. Neither the early disciples nor us particularly want to hear this message much less admit we are guilty of such behavior. This is not a passage most clergy and I would likely pick to preach about, much less to use in the weeks before sending to the parish a letter about stewardship. Nonetheless it is a good antidote against the poison of claiming one should give because our parish will then be better than another parish down the street, or making promises of attaining a higher personal spiritual well being if you give above a certain amount or attain a certain target. We are all like the first disciples who needed the stern words of Jesus to center us on the Good News and not drift off on the self-serving tangents the world so often gets involved in.
So here is an old potboiler parable about stewardship. It isn't invasive. It seeks not to embarrass, but it may help us to contemplate how we might leaven our giving with unpretentious thanksgiving, rather than with an outward boast of subtle pride. Once upon a time, a hundred dollar bill and a one dollar bill were withdrawn from circulation and retired in a currency vault of the treasury. The one dollar bill looked admiringly at the hundred and said, "Sir you must have been proud to serve your country so well and I suspect you got to see many wonderful places." "Why, yes," replied the hundred dollar bill. " I traveled widely in service to my country. After being printed at the Denver mint, I went to San Francisco, to some of the best restaurants, then on to Las Vegas with all the glitter and lights, then I went to New York for some fabulous parties and shopping at Tiffany's and Brooks Brothers, then on an ocean liner to England, then back to Chicago, and then I even went to Japan and back. Yes, I've seen so much in my day. But, you my little one, you must have had some interesting travels, too." "Well, no, not exactly," said the one dollar bill, "I just kept going to church, to church, to church, and to church." "Church?" said the hundred dollar bill? "What's church?"
And I offer this to you in the name of the Living God, Amen.
