Sunday, September 23, 2018

25th Sunday in Ordinary Time (18th Sunday after Pentecost/Proper 20)

The Revised Common Lectionary passages for the Lord’s Day are:

First Reading: Proverbs 31:10-31 Psalm 1
Second Reading: James 3:13-4:3,7-8a
Gospel Reading: Mark 9:30-37

The liturgical color for the day is: Green

There it was—a child, and yet…on the way they had been arguing, discussing, vying for who was the greatest. Jesus words hung in the air: “Whoever wants to be first must be last of all and servant of all.”

It is almost the final scene and we come to know even more about the person of Harry Potter. After the big battle and after everything known has been almost utterly destroyed…there is Harry. He has defeated the powers of darkness. He has triumphed. In that final scene he is pictured there on the bridge. In the background and in the foreground are the remnants—all around is the destruction of what has taken place.

As Harry looks outward we see him hold the elder wand. Ron, his friend, and their friend, Hermione, is there too. Ron inquires of Harry about the elder wand. Ron then points to Harry and says that with it he is invincible. A considered look comes across Harry’s face and he grasps the wand with both hands. He breaks it in two and casts each piece as hard and far as he can throw them.

It becomes a moment of choosing. It becomes a moment of selection. Harry makes a humble choice. He makes a choice for himself and his life and what station in life he will choose.

We are Harry Potter. And every single day, with destruction all around us in this age, we have to choose. Will we choose the way of power or will we choose the way of the humble? Will we choose the child of Jesus’ embrace or will we choose to push our way to the front of the line?

We choose.

We choose if we will go this way with Jesus.

Choose…because on the way, “Whoever wants to be first must be last of all and servant of all.”