32 Sunday Humility heals and brings life

How many watch shows such as “Keeping up with the Khardashians” or Real Housewives of wherever… How many of us follow celebrities and get excited over them?  Celebrity culture is huge. Celebrities, whether in sports or cinema, or just because they have done something infamous, will often use and be used to sell stuff or bring attention to matters, usually for a cost. Look at the cars on NASCAR, they are covered in advertisements. Watch TV, on the internet… It's such a part of our existence. Celebrity endorsement selling anything from Medicaid, to orange juice to ??

And on some occasions, the celebrity will use that fame to promote and aid others, for no cost, for no other glory, simply because it is the right thing to do.

On a local level, we too have our celebrities and known persons.  And on a personal level, an individual level, we can have attention focused upon us, whether we want it or not.  How will we use it?

Elijah would have been a celebrity. He would have been recognized as a prophet, he had done great things. He would have known this too. This passage starts off I think kind of odd. Here he is, imposing himself on a widow and her son who have very little resources for themselves. Kind of jerk, but… when we stick with the story, what happens? The food that comes is not through magic. The people in the village, who were supposed to have been helping the widow as God had commanded but were not, now were responding to the celebrity in their midst. They brought food for Elijah, and Elijah helped the woman and her son. Kind of cool huh.

God’s Kingdom is a reality in which all people are cared for. Within the books of Exodus and Deuteronomy and probably Leviticus, those books along with Genesis that form the Torah, the Law; there is the commandment from God that the people must be aware of those most in need among them. Those chiefly being the widows, the orphans and the aliens, or those not formally part of the community. So strong does this get voiced that God says if you abuse the widow, the orphan, the alien I will make you widows, orphans and aliens, and see how you like it.

God’s commandments reflect God’s concern, God overriding focus on those most in danger, those most vulnerable; what we call in our modern times, the preferential option for the poor.

God’s kingdom will never exist fully on this earth, heaven will never be fully in this world as long as people are mistreated, abused, neglected. We as humans will never be fulfilled as long as we abuse and permit abuse of persons.

Jesus calls us to this same wisdom. His mission, to call us to work with God to build up the Kingdom of Heaven here on earth. Think too on what Jesus did; he called attention to others, he placed focus on those most in need. He healed those who were sick and often outcast. He welcomed the so-called sinners and reminded them they are loved by the Father equally. He went to the margins to spread the Good News. He too was a celebrity, and we can read at times how he tried to avoid this, but more often than not he could not, but he did use that to help others.

Jesus never had an arrogance issue, or an ego issue. He did not expect adulation or applause; he wanted people to open their hearts and change the direction of their lives and thus the direction of this world.  Reflect on this wonderful Gospel passage. We can read this as a teaching on stewardship, which it is. But this is not just about how much we all give.

We need to get that with Mark’s gospel almost always uses stories together to make the point. The passage begins with the arrogance of the scribes and Pharisees; their desire for attention and rank and honor; and the peoples fawning over them and falling for this. They desired celebrity for themselves. They and the people who fawned over them, neglected what God calls for. So much so that the widow gives of her very livelihood, falling more into risk. The person who needs the attention does not receive it.

Our egos, our arrogance, our need for attention remains a hurtful force. It can divide friendships, marriages, parishes and church, country…  It is a drive that destroys. I have witnessed this first hand.

Humility counters this. God truly is humble. God wants nothing except for us to be the best versions of ourselves so that the Kingdom of Heaven exists here on earth. Humility is to not seek attention purely for ourselves, but is always to keep our eyes on the needs of others. It is this attitude of how can I help? How can I serve?

It amazes me how many people in this parish quietly serve and help. There are a number of people who weekly, if not daily, go down to Catholic Charities and work. Not wanting to draw attention to themselves.

An elderly woman I know on the Food distribution Tuesdays collects food for several families who do not have transportation, and she takes the food to them.  

Quietly, a cadre of others take communion to those who cannot leave their nursing homes or houses.  

One person I know also has anonymously donated and pledged millions to parishes to aid in the infrastructure so that children can be served. Never desiring naming rights or the attention.

Freedom, Salvation, Humanity and life, Love is that choice to serve and not be served. It is that choice to willingly give from ourselves for the good of others.  

Each time we celebrate the Eucharist, this is made real in the bread and wine that become the body and blood of Christ, the Son of God, which we consume. Consumed, so that with same humility, with that same love we can go out, and build up the kingdom of Heaven, here on earth.  Eucharist empowers us to carefully discern within ourselves, to work to train that need for attention, and to direct that energy towards the needs of others.

We can complain about the situation in our world; gripe about the injustice; but we can also do something about it. We don’t need to be fabulously wealthy or stunningly beautiful, or the best athlete. We simply need to be ourselves, the good person that is there.