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(18.10.2009)
Gospel Reading: Mark 10:32-45
“The Son of Man came to give his life as a ransom for many”
Again this is a very familiar text of the Gospel of Mark. But, what are we familiar with? Whenever we read this text we immediately interpret it as Jesus teaching about humility, about service. We should read the text again, because this text has nothing to do with humility. This text has nothing to do with service. It has to do with the power and the authority that Christ is giving us.
We begin from the beginning … these two brothers, James and John. They are from the inner circle of friends of Jesus. They asked Jesus a favour. Now, what comes to your mind and your heart when you read this request of James and John, “Allow us to sit, one at your right hand, and the other at your left hand, in your glory”. For us Catholics, this immediately put James and John in not a good light, because, as Christians, in our thinking, in our heart, in our belief and in our behaviour, we are not allowed to have ambitions. Why? Because it is against God. Doesn’t this sound Catholic?
That explains why Lillian Too is so popular, doesn’t it? If I want to have a Mercedes Benz, do you think I will tell a priest “Father, pray for me that I will get a Mercedes Benz? You tell God to bless me with a Mercedes Benz?” No, because in our mind and in our heart, we have this belief and this behaviour that God does not want us to have any ambition. And for many of us, to be a Catholic or to be a Christian, is to be a door mat. You know a door mat - no ambition, no influence and no success, because this is against God.
Read the text again… Jesus responded to the request. Jesus took to heart the request of James and John. He did not say “Get behind me, Satan” or “It is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for you two jokers – one to sit on my right, one to sit on my left. Look at your faith; look at your behaviour. You are not worthy!” No, He said, “You will partake in My life; you will drink the cup I will drink. You will be baptized with the baptism I’ll be baptized”. Jesus identified Himself with James and John when they made this request.
So when you want to pray, when you think of your career, you want advancement. You think of your financial status. You want it to be more secure. Don’t be afraid. You tell the Lord. He will identify Himself with you, as He identified Himself with James and John. And we know, this request, especially for James, was answered, because in the Acts of the Apostles, the prince of the apostles was not St Peter. St Peter was even afraid of this James. Isn’t it true that our Lord granted him his request? What it means is that our God is not against us. He is for us.
We always think that because James and John asked for positions one and two, then Jesus went out preaching humility and service. No, Jesus did not preach humility and service to James and John. Let us get this very clear, because we can never be close to God as long as we harbour this half-truth that our God is against us, especially in wanting to have position, influence or success. Our God is for us, never against us.
Jesus talked of service only when the other ten got to hear that these two brothers had a private meeting with Jesus - a secret meeting. Mark was very polite. He said they were indignant. Actually there was a crisis. Again, you see, Jesus did not reprimand the ten. He did not say “You ten jokers get behind me, Satan” for being envious, for being ambitious. No, He did not. He did not scold them. He did not reprimand them. It was to this anger, jealousy and resentment that Jesus gave the answer. Whenever there is jealousy, resentment or conflict, for Jesus the answer is not EGM or election but to serve. This is where Jesus talked of service.
In this text, Jesus reveals to us a principle of life. This applies not only to our spiritual life, but to every sector of our human existence. The world knows this. Even our economics is based on this principle - to be great you have to serve. There is no other way. And that is why this reading is especially chosen on our mission Sunday. Today the church recalls our mission. As “good Catholics” whenever we think of mission we think of it as a burden, something we will try to get away from. That is not my cup of tea. It is not for me.
The word of God this evening wants to bring us to the other side. You see, to serve is never a punishment. It is the path to greatness. Even in the secular world, it is not easy to serve. You have to pay to serve. We have a primary school next door, right? There are quite a number of Catholics there. Let’s say I want to reach out to these little ones, primary one to primary three. So I apply to the Director of Education, can I be an assistant head of that primary school? The chance is not zero of me being an assistant head of that primary school. The real chance is minus 500. Why? Because I have to go to Batu Lintang Training College and start there. By the time I am a hundred years old, maybe they make me a teacher for Arithmetic in Bintangor. Not here.
I read in the newspaper. MCA has a crisis. They had their EGM, and now people say that the head must go, which means there is a vacancy in the cabinet – minister of transport. Let’s say because I am interested to make sure every Catholic can come to church, I go and meet the Prime Minister and say “Look here, Prime Minister, can you do me a favour? Appoint me to be the minister of transport.” Do you think I can be? You know what Najib will say to me if I make this request? He will touch my forehead and ask whether I have a fever. If I don’t have a fever, he will ask “Have you been drinking? If I say no and I tell him I am a priest, you know what Najib will say? He will say what Jesus said last Sunday, “Father Stephen Lim, it is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for you to be the minister of transport.”
What I am telling is that to serve God is not a free for all. Just as to be the minister of transport or to be an assistant head of a school is not something that you and I can just walk in and walk out. To be a minister of transport you have to stand for election. You have to invest years.
But, you see, Christ called us to minister. Now, we can minister in church not because we are good. We minister in church because Jesus has done everything so that you and I can serve. Recently we had our mid-term review and there were lots of parishioners who came and shared with me that they like to come to Trinity. They say, Father, though your sermons put me to sleep, I enjoy the warmth of your community. Do you know that by being here, with your faith, your commitment, your desire, and your enthusiasm, you are touching the hearts of many. This ministry of yours can never be bought. This ministry is God given. It is a blessing. If there is anything that strikes you this evening, it is that our ministry in church is never a burden. It is a blessing, a blessing far greater than to be the minister of transport. We all know how impossible it is for me to be the minister of transport. Here we are doing something more than transport. We are sharing God’s life and we all are doing it. We all are doing it because it is the desire of God.
Now can you see why mission is a joy and a blessing? I can talk until all the cows come home. As long as you keep in your mind and in your heart that mission is me doing God a favour, then I will run away from mission. Because when I do God a favour, there is nothing for me. But if I can see that my mission is God blessing me, empowering me to touch lives with His love and with His joy, then our mission is a joy.
To serve is never a punishment. It is a blessing, and we should celebrate this. We should recognize this. The truth is, you and I can serve because God has done everything for us. God has done everything so that you and I can be His ministers; so that you and I can touch lives and transform lives. Now, we can serve like Christ because God has done… Christ has done … everything.
The song …. (music)
It is true, we can serve; we can stand before God and serve Him simply because God has done everything so that we can serve Him. May we experience this joy of being in the presence of God. I invite you to let this song lead you to reflect on His love.
Video song: “So You Would Come”
Let’s together respond to this God who has done everything for us. We express our trust, our love for Him. The Apostles’ Creed.
Rev Fr Stephen Lim
Holy Trinity Church, Kuching
