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Readings:
Wis 2:12, 17-20
Ps 54:3-4, 5, 6 and 8
Jas 3:16—4:3
Mk 9:30-37
The
way of the wise
There seem to be
contradictions in the messages found in today’s readings. James teaches
that the way of righteousness leads to peace, while the author of Wisdom
describes a conspiracy plotted against a righteous one. In the gospel,
Jesus first informs his disciples that he will be the victim of just such a
conspiracy, and then he subverts their standard for judging importance.
What are we to make of this?
Any wisdom tradition
is based on some form of the theory of retribution: good or wise behavior
brings forth success; wicked or foolish behavior yields misfortune. Wisdom
teaching itself is a collection of maxims gleaned from experience, each
providing a vignette exemplifying this theory. Though this tradition offers
a high ideal, its teaching is not unrealistic. The sages knew that those
who choose the way of righteousness might be confronted with obstacles that
seem insurmountable. The reading from the Book of Wisdom describes such a
situation. People who try to live lives of integrity are not always
appreciated. In fact, they are often ridiculed and sometimes even
persecuted. Their very lives can act as a rebuke of the lives of others,
their goodness an accusation. There are people who seem to take delight in
pushing decent individuals to their limits, trying to show that they are no
better than the rest. If they cannot corrupt these good people, they try
instead to get rid of them.
The Letter of James
describes several situations that we all know so well. Jealousy and
selfishness do indeed spawn disorder as we witness in some many scandals of
our day. We also know that desiring the land or natural resources of other
nations often leads to war. If we are honest, we will admit that only when
we learn to bridle our inordinate passions will we experience true wisdom
that is “peaceable, gentle, compliant, full of mercy.” The ideal that James
offers is not beyond our reach. We have already tasted the kind of life he
sketches. We have known happiness and satisfaction in our families and
communities. We know from experience that certain options are set before
us, and we have decided to choose the path leading to peace.
Jesus is the
ultimate example of the victimization referred to in the first reading. He
was the righteous one par excellence. When those who opposed
him were unable to undermine the success of his ministry, they plotted to
get rid of him. He knew it, and yet he was not deterred. In this he became
the model par excellence of how one should continue
faithfully on the path of righteousness despite immense obstacles, leaving
the outcome in God’s hands.
We all try to
fashion our lives and our world for ourselves and for our children so that
the ideal presented by James might become a reality. But one does not have
to live long to realize that the other scenario too often forces itself
upon us. The people upon whom we relied seem to betray us; unbridled
violence locks us in a state of terror; hatred and crime victimize whole
populations. Goodness does not guarantee success and happiness, and
shameless behavior sometimes seems to win out. When we are caught in the
throes of such peril, we ourselves might question the value of clinging to
our noble standards. Once again, a choice is set before us. Will we
discover that our integrity is nothing but a veneer? Will we succumb to the
temptations of the ‘low road?’ Or will our trust in God carry us through?
Will we choose the ‘high road’ of loyal discipleship despite the cost that
this may exact?
The gospel reading
ends on what appears to be a strange note. After Jesus reveals the tragic
end that he faces, the disciples argue about their own status within the
community. Hadn’t they been listening to him? In response to their
quarreling, Jesus’ words turn their, and our, expectations upside down: the
greatest becomes the least; the first becomes the last. He insists that it
is in receiving society’s most vulnerable that we receive Jesus himself;
and in receiving him, we receive God. This is the epitome
of true wisdom.
On second glance,
the messages found within these readings are not contradictory after all.
Wisdom urges us to choose the right path. Jesus gives us a glimpse of the
character of that path, namely, embracing the vulnerable in our midst – the
defenseless children, the despairing poor, the terrified mentally ill, the
marginalized disabled, the refugees of war. The vulnerable are all around
us. The world seems to say: ‘Get out of life what you can. Let others take
care of themselves.’ The disciple of Jesus says: ‘How can I help?’ This is
foolish in the eyes of some, and they may ridicule and even persecute those
who follow this way. But it is the way of the wise, and the fruit of such
righteousness is true peace.
by Dianne Bergant,
CSA
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