Today’s reading from James asks and answers a timely question. Where do wars and conflicts come from? All around us on the international scene there are wars and even rumors of WW III. Why is peace so elusive? James, the master of wisdom, traces the origins of conflict to jealousy and selfish ambition. No wonder even close to home, one is bound to find conflicts in our communities, churches and families. The consequences of which can be very damaging as anyone who has experienced a broken home well knows.
James offers an antidote, but unfortunately, we ignore his prescription because instead of making any serious efforts at cultivating peace by striving to be righteous, we do covet, we do envy, and we do resent. So long as we do, evil will remain a reality in our midst. Alexander Solzhenitsyn, a Russian novelist, once wrote, “If only it were so simple! If only there were evil people somewhere insidiously committing evil deeds, and it were necessary only to separate them from the rest of us and destroy them. But the line dividing good and evil cuts through the heart of every human being. And who is willing to destroy a piece of his own heart?” He later notes that while it is impossible to expel evil from the world in its entirety, it is possible to constrict evil within each person. To do that, Jesus suggests that we begin by embracing faith in a child-like manner.
What he did in the gospel reminds me of a scene from the novel, Clowns of God, by Morris West. Jesus makes his presence known in the midst of a small French community on Christmas Eve. A terrified world is bracing for a nuclear holocaust.
As a small group of political and church leaders look on, Jesus lifts a mentally handicapped child out of her high chair, kisses her and places her on his knees. He dips a crust of bread in wine and feeds her, morsel by morsel. As he does so, he says:
“I know what you are thinking. You need a sign. What better one could I give than to make this little one whole and new? I could do it; but I will not. I am the Lord and not a conjuror. I gave this mite a gift I denied all of you—eternal innocence. To you she looks imperfect—but to me she is flawless, like the bud that dies unopened or the fledgling that falls from the nest to be devoured by ants. She will never offend me, as all of you have done. She will never pervert or destroy the work of my hands. She is necessary to you. She will evoke the kindness that will keep you human. Her infirmity will prompt you to gratitude for your own good fortune…More! She will remind you that every day I am who I am, that my ways are not your ways, and that the smallest dust mote whirled in the darkest space does not fall out of my hand…I have chosen you. You have not chosen me. This little one is my sign to you. Treasure her!”
Undoubtedly, the apostles were startled that Jesus used a child to reprimand them for their squabble. He had just told them for the second time of his pending passion and death, but they still didn’t get the message. Still anticipating an earthly kingdom, they had been arguing about who among them was the greatest. In the eyes of Jesus, none of them were. Instead, he implies that a child is. “Whoever receives one child such as this in my name, receives me; and whoever receives me, receives not me but the One who sent me.” Children had no status, so that had to have been one eye opening statement for the apostles to hear.
The poorest and the neediest, the forgotten and rejected, the “least” and the “lowly,” are represented by the child in this gospel passage. By embracing a child, Jesus is calling on us to embrace the uncomplicated yet genuine faith of a child that we adults sadly tend to outgrow; to love God and others without condition or expectation. “Child-like” faith never becomes cynical or jaded; it never ceases to be amazed and it is grateful for the many ways God reveals his presence in our lives. The power of such simple faith is its ability to overcome every rationalization, fear, complication and agenda in order to mirror the selflessness nature of Jesus.
By embracing child-like kindness, compassion, generosity, and forgiveness, we can attain true greatness in the kingdom of God. In the service we give and the respect we afford others as children of God, we welcome into our midst the very presence of God. Our love for them reminds us of the love of God for us despite our failings, our sins, and our distortion of God’s creation for our own self-centered ends.
Welcoming everyone is a sign that we have begun to constrict the evil that can be found lurking in our hearts. That is a big step we can all do personally toward bringing about the peace we yearn for.
A great and powerful Chinese statesman once journeyed to the humble hermitage of the wise master. He asked, “Master, what is the deep meaning of Buddhism?” The mystic replied, “Do nothing evil, only do good.”
The statesman exclaimed, “That’s it? That’s all you have to say? Why, even a three year old could say this!” The Master answered, “A three year old may be able to say it, but can an 80 year old adult practice it?”
Good question. Can we? Just think, if we all did, wouldn’t the world be a better place?