Been a long time. Sorry kids. This was my article in the last bulletin at the church where I work. It is based on the readings for this Sunday, Gn 22:1-2, 9a, 10-13, 15-18; Ps 116; Rom 8:31b-34; Mk 9:2-10. You can find those readings here.
Like so many things Jesus talked about, power is one he continually upends. The Beatitudes are a series of statements that barely seem to make sense: the meek shall inherit the earth? What does that mean? When have you ever seen the meek gain anything?
We are told from an early age where power comes from. Sometimes it comes from force, sometimes from money, sometimes from manipulation. Having power is something to aspire to. What we often do not realize is that we already have power. We have power that does not come from force, money, or manipulation. We have power that comes from God.
Wait, which is it? Are we meek or powerful? And which one are we supposed to be? In today’s first reading, Abraham is told to be meek. He is told the unthinkable – he must sacrifice his son, the child of his old age and his heir. Any power Abraham had would have been passed to his son, and hopefully grown from there. Abraham was asked to kill his son whom he loved and essentially put a stop to his power. Fortunately, an angel is sent to stop him. Our reading ends with a promise that Abraham’s descendants will number as the stars and “all the nations of the earth shall find blessing – all this because you obeyed my command.”
Does this mean that if we just do whatever God tells us we will be wealthy beyond our imaginings? Ask any person of faith who recently lost their job and you will get a great big “no.” We will receive a promise Paul puts so eloquently in our second reading: “If God is for us, who can be against us?” As the beautiful vision of the Gospel today gives us, our God is present and powerful. Jesus took his dear friends to the mountain and gifted them with a glimpse of the power of God. That Power in dazzling white clothes, that Wisdom conversing with Moses and Elijah, that Love terrifying and trusting, is for us. Who can be against us?
I have known many teens and young people who feel powerless or think their power comes from something earthly. Some are bullies because that is the only time they feel in control; others get the latest gadget to attract attention. I once had a 14-year-old tell me there was not a person in his life he trusted. How powerless would you feel if you could not think of a single person you could lean on? For those of us who do feel powerful, who know our power comes from a God who created and loves us, we have to use that to help those who feel powerless. We have to be Uncle Ben telling Peter Parker that “with great power comes great responsibility.” We have to be meek enough in our own power to empower those around us. It’s not an easy task, but “if God is for us, who can be against us?”
