Monday 26th Week of the Year 2022

Rick’s Two Minute Homily Monday 26th Week of the Year 09-26-2022

Monday 26th Week of the Year 2022

Luke 9:46-40 https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/092622.cfm.

The disposition of a child breaks down all competition in our families, and parish Rivalry can be a good thing.

In sports, rivalry brings out a player’s talents and abilities but usually isn’t displayed. Also, sports announcers play up the rivalry between two teams and often mention past games or pennant races to get the fans riled up. And it works.

The disciples had a rivalry going among themselves. You can hear them comparing notes when they returned from a mission Jesus sent them on. “Oh yea, well, I can top that miracle.” And Jesus is sitting back and saying, “Hmmm, they don’t get it.”

Living the Christian life with Jesus isn’t a competition. Status and achievement mean nothing to Him if our hearts are bent on showing up other people. To make His point, Jesus picks up a child and puts him by His side. In our Lord’s time, a child had no more importance than an enslaved person.

Just as small children (infants) depend on their parents for everything, so we depend on Jesus for every good only He can provide. It’s not that Jesus wants us to remain immature or naïve, oblivious to what is happening around us. He gives this child dignity not based on what it can do but on who the child is and what it can become.

Jesus’ salvation isn’t based on our natural abilities and efforts. When a child realizes it can do nothing to help itself out of a jam, a disciple of Jesus knows it can do nothing to free himself from sin. Any good we do is always a gift that the Lord pours out on us and through us, grace upon grace.

One ounce of grace working in a soul can do better than all our natural abilities can do over a lifetime. When others experience this gift, it causes us to rejoice because someone else knows the Lord and bears fruit in His Name.

So never compare yourself and your achievements to another human being. If you do any comparing, compare yourself to Christ Jesus. And all vainglory and pride are swallowed up because no one in Christ wants to be like other people. All we want is to be like Christ Jesus; he alone is our measure.

IGNITE THE FIRE!

Father Rick Pilger, I.C.

pastor

www.bscchurch.com

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