The Pope in the USA: Mighty Deeds

In today’s Gospel Jesus reminds us, “There is no one who performs a mighty deed in my name who can at the same time speak ill of me.  For whoever is not against us is for us.  Anyone who gives you a cup of water to drink because you belong to Christ, amen, I say to you, will surely not lose his reward.”

Pope Francis has arrived some days ago in the United States and today he will be celebrating Mass in Philadelphia.  Pope Francis’ words and actions embody Jesus’ call of performing mighty deeds.

          

Yet, what does one think of when Jesus says mighty deeds?  One may think of Moses parting the Red Sea, or King David slaying Goliath, or Daniel being unharmed when thrown into the Lion’s Den.  Surely those are all miraculous and divinely assisted events.  They were indeed mighty deeds.  However, Jesus refers to mighty deeds as giving someone a cup of water to drink.

This cup of water is both literal, yes we should give someone a cup of water who is in need of drink, but it is also symbolic, i.e. all are in need, be it physical, emotional or spiritual need and in those times where I had the opportunity did I perform a mighty deed?

Pope Francis has been reminding us since the beginning of his Pontificate that mighty deeds are yes, moments such as Moses parting the Red Sea, but they are also in moments in which I help the poor, the destitute as well as helping others who are in emotional crisis or at a spiritual crossroads.  Opportunities to perform mighty deeds are placed before us each day.  Pope Francis has been preaching on the simplicity of the Gospel message since day one, a practical approach to Christian living.  Some like to see the Pope as “The Defender of the Faith,” and see him only as a sturdy theological guru, but that is not the office of Pope or at least not in its essence as St. Peter himself said, “So I exhort the presbyters among you, as a fellow presbyter and witness to the sufferings of Christ and one who has a share in the glory to be revealed.  Tend the flock of God in your midst, [overseeing] not by constraint but willingly, as God would have it, not for shameful profit but eagerly.  Do not lord it over those assigned to you, but be examples to the flock.   And when the chief Shepherd is revealed, you will receive the unfading crown of glory.” (1 Peter 5:1-4)  Pope Francis has led by being an example first.  His example has been one of humility, i.e. driving around in a Ford Focus, riding the bus to work while he was Cardinal, keeping to simple vestments.  But more importantly tending to the poor, the outcast, and the down trodden.

If we take anything away from the Holy Father’s visit is that we too are now enlivened – encouraged, and stirred to assisting all in need, be it feeding the poor to actually sitting down with a friend who needs to unload the world on our shoulders for a few moments for some relief, am I willing to help and carry the load?  Evangelization, fellowship, and good works all go hand in hand.  The Lord has given us life giving waters he now demands and requires that we share that life giving water with all and to never count the cost.  Pope Francis from day one as Pontiff right up to his visit with us has continually reminded us of sharing that water with others.  My prayer is that we continue to do so, God bless our Holy Father Francis and strengthen his vocation as our Chief Shepherd.  

Ambition: Directed Towards Serving or Self?

I really love this reading today from James in which he reminds us, “Beloved: Where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there is disorder and every foul practice.   But the wisdom from above is first of all pure, then peaceable, gentle, compliant, full of mercy and good fruits, without inconstancy or insincerity.  And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace for those who cultivate peace.”

Jealousy and selfish ambition is the stuff that creates tyrants, not just the tyrant that sits on a throne dictating his presence among his subjects, but to anyone in any walk of life can become a tyrant.  For instance the teacher who loves to listen to themselves and never hears the students, to the coach who coaches with an iron fist, to the priest, dare I say it who has already purchased his Monsignor cassock only to now sell it since Pope Francis has done away with careerist ambitions, to the police officer who is a bully because of his badge and gun, and to any person in any walk of life who seeks glory, honor, and praise for the wrong reasons becomes a tyrant and tyrants are full of every foul practice.  Please do not misunderstand me; all of us are guilty of selfish ambition, to greater and lesser degrees because of our human weakness, as the fathers would call it, “concupiscence.” 

However, as Jesus points out to the Apostles, that the least among them and those willing to serve are the ones who are the greatest, not the one who has achieved rank, dignity or class necessarily, because though one could be both, of high rank and also very good man, though such a person is rare, a person Aristotle would refer to as, “The Virtuous Man.”

Even amongst the clergy, this sense of selfish ambition exists.  St. Augustine would often be very hard on himself because he knew he spoke well and through his gift of public speaking and the art of persuasion or better put, the art of argument/debate, he knew no real equal in his time.  He had to balance the fact that he knew he was good but also at the same time understanding that it was God speaking through him, so in reality the credit belonged to God.  He had this fear of giving too much credit to himself.  Maybe he was too hard on himself, but his motivation was not to build up a cult of personality around himself, since he knew Jesus was the center and that he was just the messenger.

Selfish ambition does not only plague or tempt clergy, but all peoples in every walk of life.  It is more noticeable among those in the public domain, i.e. politicians, clergy, entertainers, athletes, etc.  Nevertheless it is a temptation which none are exempt.

When ambition is based on bettering oneself and based on service then that is healthy and virtuous ambition.   God gave us ambition so that we could use it towards virtue – to become holy and to help others do so.  God is and never will be against someone becoming the best that they can be at no matter what it is they do, be it the person who cleans up schools at night as a janitor to the person who makes executive decisions as our President, each has been given drive and motivation to be the best they can be.

A reflection for us is, how has my ambition served God and others or has my ambition only served me?  Why do I desire to be the best, is it to give praise and glory to God or for my own pat on the back?  If our ambition is based on Jesus then it will be as James said, “(it will be) first of all pure, then peaceable, gentle, compliant, full of mercy and good fruits, without inconstancy or insincerity.”  Amen!  FJ

The image above is that of Jesus rebuking James and his brother John for trying to lobby for a position of prestige, to sit at Jesus left and right.