Carrying The Burdens Of Others
Sermon
Sermons on the Second Readings
Series II, Cycle C
Object:
There was a man named Sundar, a convert to Christianity who decided to go to India to be a missionary and bear witness to others about Jesus. One day, late in the afternoon, Sundar was traveling on foot high in the Himalaya Mountains with a Buddhist monk. It was bitterly cold and darkness was rapidly starting to fall. The monk told Sundar they would be in danger of freezing to death if they did not reach the monastery before nightfall.
As they crossed a narrow path above a steep cliff, a cry for help was heard. Deep down in the ravine a man had fallen and was severely injured. His leg was broken and, therefore, he could not walk. The monk warned Sundar, "Do not stop. God has brought this man to his fate. He must work it out by himself. That is the tradition. Let us hurry on and continue our journey before we perish." But Sundar replied, "It is my newfound tradition that God has brought me here to help my brother. I cannot abandon him, especially now." So the monk set off through the snow which had started to fall heavily.
Sundar climbed down to where the injured man was lying. Since the man had a broken leg, Sundar had to find some way to carry him. He brought with him a blanket from his knapsack and made a sling out of it. He got the man into the sling and hoisted him onto his back. Then together they began the arduous climb up to the path. After a long time, Sundar, drenched with perspiration, finally got back to the path. He continued to struggle with his heavy burden through the snow which was becoming increasingly deep. It was dark now and, thus, it was hard to find his way, but he continued along the way in the direction of the monastery. Although he was faint from fatigue and overheated from exertion, he finally saw the lights from the monastery in the distance.
Just then he took a step and stumbled, almost falling. He looked down and found that he had stumbled, not from weakness, but from an object lying in the path. He bent down on one knee and brushed the snow from the body of the Buddhist monk, who had frozen to death within sight of the monastery. Kneeling down, Sundar recalled a passage from Luke's Gospel: "Those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake will save it" (9:24). At that moment Sundar understood precisely what Jesus was saying and was glad that he had decided to "lose his life" for another.
Years later, when Sundar had his own disciples, they asked him, "Master, what is life's most difficult task?" And Sundar replied, "To have no burden to carry."
Sundar lived his new faith as a vocation. He left behind the ways of the past and adopted the Christian ethic to help others. He took a chance, a big chance, especially considering that the Buddhist monk had warned him of the need to seek shelter in the monastery before nightfall. But he understood that to sacrifice and give of oneself for another was the very heart of the Christian ethic. As the church throughout the world enters this most solemn and significant period of Holy Week, Saint Paul challenges us to emulate the Master, Jesus, by humbling ourselves and to willingly choose to suffer for others.
Scripture scholars tell us that this famous passage was an ancient Christological hymn, probably of Jewish-Christian origins, that was appropriated by Paul and placed into the body of his letter to the Christian community at Philippi. Paul asks the Philippians to consider the humility of Christ and to follow his lead. Even though he was God, Jesus did not in any way exploit this reality to his benefit. As the omniscient and omnipotent God, Jesus could have done many things or nothing to save humanity. He certainly could have escaped the anguish, pain, and indignity of the cross, but he chose to strip himself of all privilege and took on the human condition in all ways, save sin. As the God-Man, Jesus possessed all divine qualities and attributes, but he was also subject to all the pain, suffering, feelings of dislocation, and was forced to negotiate all the hurdles and obstacles of any other human. Jesus was completely obedient to the Father's will, even to the point of enduring an agonizing and ignominious death on the cross. As the author of the letter to the Hebrews tells us, "Although he was a Son, he [Jesus] learned obedience through what he suffered; and having been made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey him" (5:8-9). For a Jew, there was no more undignified way to die. As the book of Deuteronomy states: "Anyone hung on a tree is under God's curse" (21:23b).
The humility of Jesus, leading to great pain and suffering had its rewards. Paul says that because of Jesus' obedience God highly exalted him and his name, for all people for all time. While Jesus was forced to endure much, in the end he received the promised reward. Similarly, in our daily Christian lives we will be forced to suffer much, and often for unjustified reasons. Yet, if we persevere we, too, will gain our promised inheritance. As the Pauline writer states, "The saying is sure: If we have died with him, we will also live with him; if we endure, we will also reign with him; if we deny him, he will also deny us; if we are faithless, he remains faithful -- for he cannot deny himself" (1 Timothy 2:11-13). Humility leads to exaltation. As they say, "The ball is in our court."
Holy Week is the culmination of the Lenten season. For six weeks, the Christian community worldwide has been on a special and very important journey. We started this trip on Ash Wednesday, by signing ourselves with burnt palms from last year's Passion Sunday celebration. We were encouraged to fast, pray, and give alms. Even more, we were challenged to not only engage in these traditional practices, but actually to become them. To manifest these virtues in our lives is quite a challenge. We must be willing to give of ourselves, to live lives that are a prayer, that are holy and spiritually exemplary. We must be willing to downplay our own efforts to the exaltation of others. Next we went to the mountain with Jesus, Peter, James, and John. As we witnessed Jesus' transfiguration we were challenged to look inside and find what needs transformation in our lives. What needs to be changed, modified, or even rooted out. Then we were asked to leave the past behind, realizing that former hurts, both those we have inflicted and those we have received, weigh us down like a ball and chain. We are unable to move forward; our growth is stunted. Thus, we were encouraged to break out, let go of the past, and move forward onto new vistas which have so much promise. As we approach the celebration of the paschal mystery, the passion, death, and resurrection of Christ, we are called by Paul to take on the humble attitude of Jesus and through our efforts find the exaltation which is God's reward to all the faithful.
Demonstrating humility in the form of dying to self is a great challenge in today's world. Humans instinctively are fearful of death, in any form, because it threatens their autonomy. A good illustration of this reality can be found in the 1970 Academy Award-winning film Patton. The film opens in a rather odd manner. George C. Scott, who portrayed the famous American World War II general, stands atop a platform in full military regalia; he is addressing his troops before they enter battle. In the course of his comments he states, "Some people say it is glorious to die for your country. But I say that the objective of war is to make the other guy die for his country." That simple statement says something very profound about what we, as a society, think of death. We see it as something that is to be shunned and avoided; it is dishonorable to die. Certainly anyone in a normal situation wants to live and desires that all friends and loved ones remain healthy and active. Still, for the Christian, one's attitude toward death must be different. We have been given life by God for the ultimate purpose to return to our Creator. We are on a journey which leads to God, but one can only arrive at the final destination through death. We are called to die to self so others may live.
All of us have witnessed and many have participated in heroic ways in the call to humble ourselves so others may benefit and we may gain the joy of our ultimate Christian hope. Parents sacrifice for their children all the time. Mothers and fathers deny their own needs and desires so that their children may have more and better things and opportunities. Good parents want the best for their children and, thus, willingly give whatever they can, of time, talent, or treasure. Adult children are often called to sacrifice their lives in order to serve the needs of elderly or infirmed parents. Teachers, coaches, and other mentors sacrifice in order to build and/or strengthen a new generation of youth. They teach them not only the three "Rs," or basics of the game, but imbue youth with the virtues and qualities necessary to be active and contributing members of society. Children are called to sacrifice some of their desires and possibly their needs so a classmate or friend will have the basics. Who has not been touched by such an act as a child sharing her sandwich at lunch with a friend who has none?
Our great challenge is to take Paul's message in today's lesson and relate it to similar ideas which Jesus articulated on many occasions during his public life. Humility is found in being a servant of others and gaining our satisfaction from such an attitude. Recall Jesus' words, "Whoever wishes to be great among you must be your servant, and whoever wishes to be first among you must be your slave; just as the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many" (Matthew 20:26b-28). Humility also means sharing our portion of the burden, even when we might not feel like participating. Again, Jesus points us in the proper direction: "If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. For those who want to save their life for my sake, and for the sake of the gospel, will save it" (Mark 8:34b-35). Humility means that we should never exalt ourselves, and think we are better than others. Jesus challenged his disciples with a parable: "When you are invited by someone to a wedding banquet, do not sit down at the place of honor ... [Rather] when you are invited, go and sit at the lowest place, so when your host comes, he may say to you, 'Friend, move up higher.' ... For all who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted" (Luke 14:8a, 10a, 11).
We are called to carry the burdens of our sisters and brothers. Today Jesus enters into the holy city of Jerusalem in great triumph. He is greeted with shouts of "Hosanna" and the local citizens lay palm branches before his path. Yet, we already know the end of the story. In five days he will be sacrificed for the sins of humankind. As Jesus carries the cross, he shoulders the world's burden. We do not have the strength of Jesus and the Father does not expect us to perform such feats or endure such suffering, but we are called to humble ourselves and help others. We must lighten the load of the poor, ignorant, and marginalized of society. We should recall Jesus' famous exhortation: "Truly I tell you, just as you did it to one of the least of these who are members of my family, you did it to me" (Matthew 25:40b). We must lighten the load of those who always do all the work; we must get involved. When we see a need as did Sundar, we must act. Inaction and omission can be as bad as wrong action.
Sundar was willing to do exactly as Jesus, to spend his life for another. Jesus' life and Paul's exhortation to follow the Lord's example must be the model we seek to follow in our lives. Let us faithfully walk the final part of this long journey of Lent. May we voluntarily humble ourselves, to die to self so others may live. We do so in imitation of Jesus, our brother, friend, and Lord.
As they crossed a narrow path above a steep cliff, a cry for help was heard. Deep down in the ravine a man had fallen and was severely injured. His leg was broken and, therefore, he could not walk. The monk warned Sundar, "Do not stop. God has brought this man to his fate. He must work it out by himself. That is the tradition. Let us hurry on and continue our journey before we perish." But Sundar replied, "It is my newfound tradition that God has brought me here to help my brother. I cannot abandon him, especially now." So the monk set off through the snow which had started to fall heavily.
Sundar climbed down to where the injured man was lying. Since the man had a broken leg, Sundar had to find some way to carry him. He brought with him a blanket from his knapsack and made a sling out of it. He got the man into the sling and hoisted him onto his back. Then together they began the arduous climb up to the path. After a long time, Sundar, drenched with perspiration, finally got back to the path. He continued to struggle with his heavy burden through the snow which was becoming increasingly deep. It was dark now and, thus, it was hard to find his way, but he continued along the way in the direction of the monastery. Although he was faint from fatigue and overheated from exertion, he finally saw the lights from the monastery in the distance.
Just then he took a step and stumbled, almost falling. He looked down and found that he had stumbled, not from weakness, but from an object lying in the path. He bent down on one knee and brushed the snow from the body of the Buddhist monk, who had frozen to death within sight of the monastery. Kneeling down, Sundar recalled a passage from Luke's Gospel: "Those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake will save it" (9:24). At that moment Sundar understood precisely what Jesus was saying and was glad that he had decided to "lose his life" for another.
Years later, when Sundar had his own disciples, they asked him, "Master, what is life's most difficult task?" And Sundar replied, "To have no burden to carry."
Sundar lived his new faith as a vocation. He left behind the ways of the past and adopted the Christian ethic to help others. He took a chance, a big chance, especially considering that the Buddhist monk had warned him of the need to seek shelter in the monastery before nightfall. But he understood that to sacrifice and give of oneself for another was the very heart of the Christian ethic. As the church throughout the world enters this most solemn and significant period of Holy Week, Saint Paul challenges us to emulate the Master, Jesus, by humbling ourselves and to willingly choose to suffer for others.
Scripture scholars tell us that this famous passage was an ancient Christological hymn, probably of Jewish-Christian origins, that was appropriated by Paul and placed into the body of his letter to the Christian community at Philippi. Paul asks the Philippians to consider the humility of Christ and to follow his lead. Even though he was God, Jesus did not in any way exploit this reality to his benefit. As the omniscient and omnipotent God, Jesus could have done many things or nothing to save humanity. He certainly could have escaped the anguish, pain, and indignity of the cross, but he chose to strip himself of all privilege and took on the human condition in all ways, save sin. As the God-Man, Jesus possessed all divine qualities and attributes, but he was also subject to all the pain, suffering, feelings of dislocation, and was forced to negotiate all the hurdles and obstacles of any other human. Jesus was completely obedient to the Father's will, even to the point of enduring an agonizing and ignominious death on the cross. As the author of the letter to the Hebrews tells us, "Although he was a Son, he [Jesus] learned obedience through what he suffered; and having been made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey him" (5:8-9). For a Jew, there was no more undignified way to die. As the book of Deuteronomy states: "Anyone hung on a tree is under God's curse" (21:23b).
The humility of Jesus, leading to great pain and suffering had its rewards. Paul says that because of Jesus' obedience God highly exalted him and his name, for all people for all time. While Jesus was forced to endure much, in the end he received the promised reward. Similarly, in our daily Christian lives we will be forced to suffer much, and often for unjustified reasons. Yet, if we persevere we, too, will gain our promised inheritance. As the Pauline writer states, "The saying is sure: If we have died with him, we will also live with him; if we endure, we will also reign with him; if we deny him, he will also deny us; if we are faithless, he remains faithful -- for he cannot deny himself" (1 Timothy 2:11-13). Humility leads to exaltation. As they say, "The ball is in our court."
Holy Week is the culmination of the Lenten season. For six weeks, the Christian community worldwide has been on a special and very important journey. We started this trip on Ash Wednesday, by signing ourselves with burnt palms from last year's Passion Sunday celebration. We were encouraged to fast, pray, and give alms. Even more, we were challenged to not only engage in these traditional practices, but actually to become them. To manifest these virtues in our lives is quite a challenge. We must be willing to give of ourselves, to live lives that are a prayer, that are holy and spiritually exemplary. We must be willing to downplay our own efforts to the exaltation of others. Next we went to the mountain with Jesus, Peter, James, and John. As we witnessed Jesus' transfiguration we were challenged to look inside and find what needs transformation in our lives. What needs to be changed, modified, or even rooted out. Then we were asked to leave the past behind, realizing that former hurts, both those we have inflicted and those we have received, weigh us down like a ball and chain. We are unable to move forward; our growth is stunted. Thus, we were encouraged to break out, let go of the past, and move forward onto new vistas which have so much promise. As we approach the celebration of the paschal mystery, the passion, death, and resurrection of Christ, we are called by Paul to take on the humble attitude of Jesus and through our efforts find the exaltation which is God's reward to all the faithful.
Demonstrating humility in the form of dying to self is a great challenge in today's world. Humans instinctively are fearful of death, in any form, because it threatens their autonomy. A good illustration of this reality can be found in the 1970 Academy Award-winning film Patton. The film opens in a rather odd manner. George C. Scott, who portrayed the famous American World War II general, stands atop a platform in full military regalia; he is addressing his troops before they enter battle. In the course of his comments he states, "Some people say it is glorious to die for your country. But I say that the objective of war is to make the other guy die for his country." That simple statement says something very profound about what we, as a society, think of death. We see it as something that is to be shunned and avoided; it is dishonorable to die. Certainly anyone in a normal situation wants to live and desires that all friends and loved ones remain healthy and active. Still, for the Christian, one's attitude toward death must be different. We have been given life by God for the ultimate purpose to return to our Creator. We are on a journey which leads to God, but one can only arrive at the final destination through death. We are called to die to self so others may live.
All of us have witnessed and many have participated in heroic ways in the call to humble ourselves so others may benefit and we may gain the joy of our ultimate Christian hope. Parents sacrifice for their children all the time. Mothers and fathers deny their own needs and desires so that their children may have more and better things and opportunities. Good parents want the best for their children and, thus, willingly give whatever they can, of time, talent, or treasure. Adult children are often called to sacrifice their lives in order to serve the needs of elderly or infirmed parents. Teachers, coaches, and other mentors sacrifice in order to build and/or strengthen a new generation of youth. They teach them not only the three "Rs," or basics of the game, but imbue youth with the virtues and qualities necessary to be active and contributing members of society. Children are called to sacrifice some of their desires and possibly their needs so a classmate or friend will have the basics. Who has not been touched by such an act as a child sharing her sandwich at lunch with a friend who has none?
Our great challenge is to take Paul's message in today's lesson and relate it to similar ideas which Jesus articulated on many occasions during his public life. Humility is found in being a servant of others and gaining our satisfaction from such an attitude. Recall Jesus' words, "Whoever wishes to be great among you must be your servant, and whoever wishes to be first among you must be your slave; just as the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many" (Matthew 20:26b-28). Humility also means sharing our portion of the burden, even when we might not feel like participating. Again, Jesus points us in the proper direction: "If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. For those who want to save their life for my sake, and for the sake of the gospel, will save it" (Mark 8:34b-35). Humility means that we should never exalt ourselves, and think we are better than others. Jesus challenged his disciples with a parable: "When you are invited by someone to a wedding banquet, do not sit down at the place of honor ... [Rather] when you are invited, go and sit at the lowest place, so when your host comes, he may say to you, 'Friend, move up higher.' ... For all who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted" (Luke 14:8a, 10a, 11).
We are called to carry the burdens of our sisters and brothers. Today Jesus enters into the holy city of Jerusalem in great triumph. He is greeted with shouts of "Hosanna" and the local citizens lay palm branches before his path. Yet, we already know the end of the story. In five days he will be sacrificed for the sins of humankind. As Jesus carries the cross, he shoulders the world's burden. We do not have the strength of Jesus and the Father does not expect us to perform such feats or endure such suffering, but we are called to humble ourselves and help others. We must lighten the load of the poor, ignorant, and marginalized of society. We should recall Jesus' famous exhortation: "Truly I tell you, just as you did it to one of the least of these who are members of my family, you did it to me" (Matthew 25:40b). We must lighten the load of those who always do all the work; we must get involved. When we see a need as did Sundar, we must act. Inaction and omission can be as bad as wrong action.
Sundar was willing to do exactly as Jesus, to spend his life for another. Jesus' life and Paul's exhortation to follow the Lord's example must be the model we seek to follow in our lives. Let us faithfully walk the final part of this long journey of Lent. May we voluntarily humble ourselves, to die to self so others may live. We do so in imitation of Jesus, our brother, friend, and Lord.
