Daily HOMILY for September 23, 2018: Sunday in the 25th Week in Ordinary Time

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Sunday, September 23, 201825^thSunday in Ordinary Time

COMPARE AND DESPAIR +++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Ø  Fr. James Martin, S.J. published an excellent book entitled: A Jesuit Guide to (Almost) Everything. 

Ø  At one point, Martin talks about the human tendency to compare ourselves with others

Ø  Sometimes we look at others and feel down because we don’t have it as good as they do

Ø  Martin calls this tendency to compare a trap  

Ø  He uses the saying: “Compare and despair.”

CONSEQUENCES +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Ø  When we compare, we tend to minimize good things in R own lives & maximize good things in other’s life

Ø  & ironically, we’ll maximize bad things in R own lives and minimize the bad things in other persons’life

Ø  So, “Compare and despair”  

Ø  Martin advises that we just B with our own strengths and challenges and find our peace right there

STRIVING TO BE FIRST +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Ø  This insight helps us appreciate today’s Gospel

Ø  The AA have been arguing about who should be number 1 over all the others

Ø  Each of them is asserting that he should be number 1 because of his own special talents

Ø  Beneath surface, each feels less than the others & being designated as #1 would make them feel better

Ø  As Martin says: “Compare & despair”  

SEE THE VALUE OF EACH PERSON +++++++++++++++++++

Ø  In response to this, J points to a little child and with the child, he grounds the need NOT to compare

Ø  Each of us is already valuable just in being ourselves

Ø  In the culture of Jesus’day, children were at the bottom of the ladder

Ø  E.g., if a family didn’t have enough food, dad ate 1^st, then mom, & then children get what was left over

Ø  This sounds backwards to us, for in our culture, most parents would hold back on eating or on buying something so their children could have enough 

Ø  By J saying, “Whoever receives a child such as this, receives me,”he’s saying a child and who that child symbolizes is valuable, viz, anyone who’s seen as insignificant or powerless

Ø  So if a child has such value and worth, then each of us does too

Ø  Our value is inherent in our very being and is given to us by God

CONCLUSION ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Ø  Bottom line? We don’t have to compare ourselves with anyone and we don’t have to be above others, as the Apostles are trying to do

Ø  Our value, our self-worth is already there

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

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