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[Jesus said:] "[The scribes and Pharisees] love places of
honor at
banquets,
seats of honor in synagogues, greetings in marketplaces and the
salutation
'Rabbi.' As for you, do not be called 'Rabbi.' You have but one
teacher, and
you are all brothers. Call no one on earth your father; you have but
one Father
in heaven. Do not be called 'Master'; you have but one master, the
Messiah. The
greatest among you must be your servant. Whoever exalts himself will be
humbled; but whoever humbles himself will be exalted."
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The
movies that recall the fantastic adventures of James Bond, 007 of
English
Intelligence are filled with incredible film
photography, violence,
sex, and power. The movie "Quantum of Solace" is no exception. The evil
man Dominic Greene wants to be in control of countries so as to dictate
what he thinks should be done. In the film, he is helping a Bolivian
General overthrow the Bolivian government. He is hopelessly
insane, of course, but unfortunately the desire for
power often does not diminish with insanity; in fact, in many
instances, it
causes it. Power continues to corrupt human nature, and
human nature continues to desire power, no matter what the cost.
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Anyone who
reads
the Gospels must encounter Jesus' intense dislike for the attitude of
the
scribes and Pharisees. Jesus recognized that many of the religious
leaders of
the Hebrew people were people who said one thing, but did another. His
problem
with them was their desire for show and ostentatious behavior. Having
the
respect of others gave them a certain power that they used to their
advantage.
Consequently, the scribes and Pharisees did anything to gain the power.
Judging
from Jesus' words and actions toward them, a spiritual person must not
behave
like they did.
Power is a problem in our world. In the movie "Quantum of Solace," James Bond and his girlfriend Camille Montes discover that Dominic Greene is blockading Bolivia's supply of fresh water. He was causing evil in order to accomplish a situation in which he would end up in control of the country. Not all power gives rise to such evil, of course, but anyone who has or wants the power will often neglect the needs of others. Studying the Gospels, Christians experience Jesus' strong feelings against power for power's sake, and the desire for it. But Jesus' feelings toward it notwithstanding, many Christians succumb to its lure. From high schools to political contests to everyday existence, people act out of a desire for power and control. It may not cause people to desire to rule the world, but it can easily lead them to try to dominate their home or school or office. Christians must be aware of the desire to control others. It could be the basis of the evil in our world. |
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| THOUGHT Considering people's desire for power, what examples of modern day scribes and Pharisees do you see in our world today? PRAYER Good and gracious God, in
many ways, we are people who desire to be recognized just as the
scribes and Pharisees.
Help us see
that in many instances, the desire for such actions is nothing more
than
seeking power. Give us the grace to understand what we are doing. Be
with us, we pray.
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©2007
Capuchin Province of Mid-America
Fr. Mike Scully is a member of the Capuchin Province of Mid-America |
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