Homilies

25th SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME: POWERLESSNESS IS GREATNESS

THE GOSPEL THAT we have heard today is Jesus’ second prediction of his passion. In the first prediction, Peter had listened well to it, and as soon as Jesus spoke about it, Peter rebuked Jesus because he had a different understanding of what a Messiah is. But in the face of the other disciples, Jesus reprimanded Peter because he was “not thinking as God does, but as human beings do.”

In this second prediction, it appears that the disciples did not bother to listen to his teaching, and thus, they failed to understand what Jesus said about his impending passion. On the contrary, they were squabbling over who is the greatest among them. Thus, when Jesus confronted them, they were a kind of embarrassed; for they remained silent.

Jesus then used the occasion to place the disciples on the right direction, and explain his teaching on true greatness. This may also applies to us because greatness is everyone’s aspiration. Who among us here who does not want to be remembered as someone who is great? For instance, fathers want to be remembered by their children as “great fathers;” mothers also want to be “great mothers.” Students, professors, office managers, national presidents, and leaders would always aspire for greatness. Indeed, we really want to be great!

Now, this is what Jesus tells us about greatness:

First, we can be great in powerlessness. Powerlessness is greatness. This appears as something different because the common understanding of greatness is power. You can be great if you have the power. This was the disciples’ understanding of a Messiah; he is a triumphant Messiah, not a suffering Messiah. So, when Jesus talked about his own passion, they never cared to listen or to understand it.

We may take a country president as an example. Presidents should be in full control of anything; otherwise he or she is considered a weakling. Our first woman president was remembered as a president who survived a number of coups. For some, that was a sign of weakness. But nevertheless she has been considered a great president. Furthermore, when people are asked to say something about their friend, in an important celebration or in a eulogy, it is interesting to note that most people would love to remember their friend as someone who is “simple,” “unassuming,” “humble.” These are an index of lowliness or powerlessness, and yet these are a road toward greatness.

Second, to be great is to be a servant of all. This is also going against what is conventional because, normally, leaders want to be served. We feel great when we just sit down while others are serving us. But for Jesus that is not greatness. True greatness can be found in service. This may be hard to understand because in a “master-servant” relationship, each is situated on two different and opposing poles. It appears that it is impossible for a master to serve. Otherwise, he loses his being a “great leader.” The Church in the Philippines has done something about it, and in fact, it has envisioned Church leaders to Jesus’ idea. In the Second Plenary Council of the country, the delegates saw the new Church leaders as “servant-leaders.” In the final analysis, civil or church leaders are not best remembered on the long hours they have seated in their presidential chairs. Rather, they are fondly remembered on how they extended their hands to victims of calamities or how they comforted people amidst the misfortunes in life. Indeed, service is greatness.

Third, the quality of greatness can be found in children. Children are generally humble. They are also dependent on their parents. They cannot live without their parents. Their dependence is so total. The greatness of a person can also be found in his total dependence on God. Some people, because of their resources, would think they are self-sufficient and therefore, they are no longer in need of God in their lives. Their resources, that is, riches or fame, make them feel powerful. But God will never be happy with that kind of attitude. No matter how we think we are powerful and great because of the resources that we have, we must remain dependent on him. We must remain a dependent “child” before God’s eyes. In fact, those Catholics who are known to be rich and remain faithful to their vocation are considered “great” compared to those wealthy ones who abandoned God and faith.

Such is the road toward Christian greatness.

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