Saturday of the Twenty-Ninth Week in Ordinary Time Yr 2 2024

Peter H. Davids

Ordinary Time • Sermon • Submitted a year ago • Presented a year ago

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Some reject leaders and leadership, but in Paul we see leaders or gifted persons of various types or ranks as Jesus’ means of bringing the Church and its members to full maturity, which is the full stature of Jesus. That is the fruit of the leaders journey. In the gospel we see that suffering is not the mark of our evil (for Jesus will suffer more than all) but, in the wider context, the mark of our repentant following of Jesus. And fruit is not the size or budget of the community but the Christ-likeness of the community and the virtue or character of its members. Therefore in this individualistic world we are called to embrace suffering as part of our becoming like Jesus and to embrace the authority of whatever type God has given us, not for our profit, but for the growth and development of the whole church.

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Transcript

Title

Serving others in ordered ranks

Outline

I have heard or read two communications this week from people who questioned offices in the church

One was a Protestant who questioned the “pastoral office” in favor of equal priesthood of the believers

The other was a Catholic leader who argued that priests and deacons should dress like lay people in larger gatherings of the far-flung movement.

Both miss the fact that Paul teaches that the ascended Lord runs his body though a variety of offices starting with the episcopal or apostolic office and continuing through the other offices and that in recognizing these offices/ God-gifted individuals we make a way for them to build all up towards “the unity of faith and knowledge of the Son of God . . . to . . . the full stature of Christ.” Notice that their purpose is for the good of the whole, the good of others, not their own good, which is how one distinguishes the genuine person from the imposter or the one gone bad.

Our Gospel gives us a picture

After pointing out that suffering is not a mark of sinfulness (which truth Jesus will eventually live personally) but that all need to change their minds, to repent, Jesus talked about a fig tree.

The barren tree does not bear fruit and eventually faces destruction. In our context we would think of the ministry of these leaders resulting in, not necessarily a larger church, but a church that looks like Jesus. On the more individual level it is the fruit of the Spirit, which are virtues, character, not ministry done.

I mention this for several reasons

First, independence, individualism, and my rights is in the air we breathe and is inimical to life in the body of Christ.

Second, few see suffering as a necessary part of growth into the likeness of Jesus, rejecting it as something God always overcomes or as a punishment for the bad or as their being victimized.

Third, few get it that leaders serve others out of authority given by God and it is the growth and development of the whole that is the fruit of their leadership - and usually their suffering.

So let us follow Jesus in the way of suffering service conscious of the place God has given us for and ready to serve God others out of that calling for the benefit of the whole.

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