For the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.“
Mark 10:45
Greetings Sisters & Brothers in Christ,
What is power? According to the dictionary this word has two meanings: the ability to act; the ability to influence the behavior of others or the course of events. Throughout human history people have claimed that power is having a position of authority such as emperor, king, president, CEO, pope. And indeed, these leaders have used their authority to build monuments, command armies, direct people’s lives, amass wealth, and dictate freedoms to both good and bad ends for the average person. But we also have examples of people throughout history who had no position of authority but great ability to act and influence people and culture, such as Nelson Mandela, Mother Teresa, Ghandi, Martin Luther, St. Francis, Jesus Christ, Siddhartha Guatama. Such examples reveal that these two things – power and authority – are not the same.
As we follow Christ during Lent, we continue the journey to Jerusalem, celebrate his counter-cultural royal entry into Jerusalem, witness his daily conflicts with the authorities of his day, anguish over the betrayals and denials he experiences, cry over his lifeless body on the cross, and join the women in discovering an empty tomb. What a long journey in just 40 days. All of these stories we will hear in Lent remind us of Jesus’ response to James and John as they seek power by asking for authority, “the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve and give his life to ransom many.” As the Son of Man in Mark’s Gospel, Jesus is the completely human one who reveals to us what true humanity looks like. It looks like serving, healing, rebuking evil, committing one’s whole self to God, and giving one’s life to liberate (another word for the meaning of ransom in this context) the oppressed. While those who rely on authority may influence culture and people during their lifetime, those who gain power through love and trust influence culture and people for centuries. They teach us how to love deeply, inspire us to fully dedicate our lives for the good of all, and motivate us to work hard to leave a legacy of more justice for God’s world.
Let us join Christ in full commitment to serve God, build bridges of unity respecting our differences, and seek the ability to influence because the love of God shines through us and not because we grasp onto authority and prestige. Join us in building these bridges on Sundays when we host and hear from our neighbors, on Wednesdays when we pray for the whole world, on Wednesdays and Thursdays as we shelter our neighbors, daily as we take time to pray and give to Winter Hospitality Overflow and International Health Partners, and during Holy Week as we die to the trappings of this world and walk through the waters of baptism into new life in Christ.
May you be blessed this Lenten season to be a blessing to others! May this be your source of power to act on behalf of God who works for justice, love, and life for all!
Blessings & Grace to You!
Pr. Adrienne