Tuesday of the Sixth Week in Ordinary Time
(James 1:12-18; Mark 8:14-21)
Novice hikers in the Rockies are told what to do if they
spot a bear. They are not to run. Running would provoke a bear to attack if it
is threatened or hungry. Rather than
run, hikers are to hold their backpacks over their heads and walk away from the
bear. Bears do not have 20-20
vision. They would see a hiker with a
pack held high as a giant with whom they would rather not tangle.
What has this to do with today’s gospel? Only this: like a
hiker with backpack raised high will appear formidable to a bear, pride and
arrogance will distort the vision of a sinner.
She will think herself better than she is. In the gospel Jesus warns his disciples not
to think like this. The “leaven of the
Pharisees” is pride which puffs up one’s self-perception. Disciples do not have to boast about who is smarter.
stronger or more beautiful. They have
Jesus -- the one loaf – with them. He is
both sustenance and consolation for one and all.
Tomorrow we begin Lent.
It is a time of grace. We will
walk with Jesus forty days to temper our pride -- our love of self -- and to
bolster our charity -- our love for others.
