LORD IT OVER

INTRODUCTION

The title of my homily for this feast of St. James  is, “Lord It Over.”

In today’s gospel, I spotted the phrase, “Lord it over.” I thought it would be a good theme to think about for a homily.

The whole text was,

“But Jesus summoned them and said, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and the great ones make their authority over them felt. But it shall not be so among you. Rather, whoever wishes to be great among you shall be your servant; whoever wishes to be first among you shall be your slave. Just so, the Son of Man did not come to be served but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many.” [Matthew 20: 25-28]

And the text uses for the word "lord" a variation of the Greek word, "Kurios", which we would be familiar with as in "Kyrie" in the "Kyrie eleison".

It’s a warning and a message to all of us - especially if someone ever said to us, “Who do you think you are, God Almighty?”

Or, “Who are you, King Tut? or "The Queen of Sheba?”

YESTERDAY’S SERMON

Yesterday, in the Sunday sermon I preached, I talked about,  “How does God work?” or - “How do we see God?”

I wanted folks to think about and to see and to realize how they see God.

How do you see God? All powerful? Can do everything? Can solve everything?

Obviously, that’s how many see God. That description is in many of our prayers and texts - for example, our opening prayer for today, but I noticed the word is used for kings and queens more than for our God in our Bible.

 In fact, Jesus - God - was killed by us.

There’s a message there.

And Jesus said when he was arrested, “Don’t you realize God the Father could send 12 legions of angels down now and destroy those who want to destroy me?” [Cf. Matthew 26:53.] 

THE REVELATION: WEAKNESS AND SERVICE

The New Testament message is that our God is weak - as seen in Christ Jesus.

The New Testament message is that the call to us is not to be served but to serve - to treat others like Lords and Kings and Queens.

The New Testament message is that it’s all about service and we’re it.

The New Testament message is that God appeared as a little baby in Bethlehem - in a cave - in an animals’ crib - and ended up being a carpenter’s son - an itinerant preacher - a foot washer - a healer - a man who preached and walked around lots of little towns in dry, dusty, arid Israel.

Don’t we get ticked when someone tries to Lord it over us?  Don’t we get ticked when so and so puts us or others down when they have the title of head - boss - chief - priest - or what have you? [Cf. Mark 10:32.]

I think we’ve been around Jesus too much that we don’t get his big theme that he’s here to serve us and is not into worship. Smile! Aren’t we at Mass to do just that?

I once saw on TV, “Steambath” an off-broadway play by Bruce Jay Friedman - where God is a Puerto Rican attendant or janitor at a steambath. His name is Morty. The people on stage slowly realize they have died and they are moving around in the smoky steam.

How’s that for an image of Purgatory - and did the author possibly think “Carwash” as a cleaning process as well - after death?

CONCLUSION

So my message for today is to be like God, to be Lord, and that means, for us Christians, to serve - till as  earthen vessels we crumble.