From pastor’s desk on the 25th Sunday in Ordinary Time, year B
How do the wars begin? The historians come up with all kinds of explanation, usually attributing it to socio-economic or political situations. Yet, the Holy Scripture gives us quite different answer. In the letter of St. James (this Sunday’s second reading) we read:
Where do the wars and where do the conflicts among you come from? Is it not from your passions that make war within your members? You covet but do not possess. You kill and envy but you cannot obtain; you fight and wage war. (James 4:1)
Knowing the fallen nature of man, James provides very accurate description of the human condition that is prone to conflict and anger. But how do these sentiments begin in us? In psychology it is known as an inner conflict. It is something in us that makes us split. Hence, on the one hand we want to do good; on the other hand, we often engage in evil or disordered behavior. We want to be loving and kind, but we show ourselves emotionally checked out and irritable. As children we learn how to manage it or how to hide it. Many people are able to resolve the inner conflicts in positive way, but there are also many who live with it their entire life while deeply hiding their resentment. That inner division causes tension so that the person seeks a relief from it. Most of the time the one who suffers it projects his or her problems on others: “It is because of my father/mother that I’m undergoing this emotional pain.” “It is my husband’s fault that that I suffer so much.” “She (my wife) made me do it that I react in such a way…” – Unfortunately, quite frequently these phrases are like a refrain repeated in many families. Consequently, the family problems continue living in conflict without the resolve.
The Apostle James reminds us in his letter that all conflicts begin with the passions in human heart; that includes military and political conflicts as well. It is the heart that wages a war against other hearts, not socio-economic situation or political powers. Those disordered passions in human heart may eventually turn into external conflicts. Think for a moment of your own families. There are many conflicts, divisions, and misunderstandings. There is jealousy and often enmity over petty things. People hold on to grudges and then “wage wars” against each other. The same principle applies to a wider context of entire nations and countries. If the entire nation is fed with the same resentment it may end up in a catastrophe. That is exactly what happened in Rwanda between the Tutsies and the Hutus. It was a bloodbath, which started with the envy over petty things.
What is the solution then? – A life of virtue in Christ. Having realized that the passions of human heart need to be well ordered, we turn to Jesus Christ, the Prince of Peace. In this Sunday’s gospel too, we hear how the disciples became passionate about their future positions in the new kingdom of the Messiah. But our Blessed Lord immediately corrects them so that they may avoid jealousy and unnecessary conflicts. Jesus’ disciples must be different than the rest of the world while loving and forgiving each either all the time. Moreover, Jesus wants to break the vicious circle of envy while inviting them to be servants like the Lord himself: If anyone wishes to be first, he shall be the last of all and the servant of all (Mark 9:35). Our Lord invites the disciples and all of us to be humble first in order to be filled with God’s grace. We know, however, that is very difficult to overcome those inner passions and even more difficult to become a servant of all. It is humanly impossible, unless we cling to Christ, who will order our hearts towards God Himself.
Let us pray that the Lord Jesus may touch our hearts so that we may become more loving and kinder to each other and in this way we may be made instruments of God’s peace in the world torn by divisions.
I wish you all a blessed week. Fr. Janusz Mocarski, Pastor