Fr. Roger J. Landry
Columbia Catholic Ministry, Notre Dame Church, Manhattan
Monday of the 26th Week in Ordinary Time, Year II
Memorial of SS. Cosmas and Damian, Martyrs
September 26, 2022
Job 1:6-22, Ps 17, Lk 9:46-50
To listen to an audio recording of today’s homily, please click below:
The following points were attempted in the homily:
- One of the things that impacts the living of the faith, especially among the young at a great university, is ambition. The Lord doesn’t seek to eliminate human ambition — he’s instilled within us a desire for greatness — but to purify it. Today in the Gospel, he overhears the disciples speaking of which of them was the greatest and he describes an essential condition for it. He says, “The one who is least among all of you is the one who is the greatest.” And he illustrated the means to be the least. He took a child, placed the child by his side, and said, “Whoever receives this child in my name receives me, and whoever receives me receives the one who sent me.” We become the least — and therefore grow in Christian greatness — by receiving children and in receiving them Christ and God the Father. The reason why this is the case is because children, especially at Jesus’ time, couldn’t repay anyone. To care for them was to care for someone culturally insignificant who would probably never remember to thank one later not to mention not be capable of a quid pro quo now. In highlighting such a child, Jesus was saying, as he did elsewhere, that the greatest would be the one who serves the rest, the one who would care for a child not expecting anything in return. Greatness is shown in our care for others not our status.
- That latter point is illustrated in the second half of the Gospel. Worldly forms of greatest want to be exalted over others. And when St. John saw someone else casting out demons in Jesus’ name, rather than rejoicing that there was an exorcism and someone freed from the devil’s clutches, he tried to prevent him. Jesus reminded him and the others that whoever is not against them is with them and they should be focused on the service of others rather than who’s doing the serving.
- To receive God and whom he sends is the secret of greatness. We similarly see it with Job in the first reading. Job was like no one on earth, God said. After Job lost oxen, asses, sheep, shepherds, camels, sons and daughters and his house, rather than curse or blame God, he replied, “Naked I came forth from my mother’s womb, and naked shall I go back again. The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord!” It’s incredible. He came naked, deserving nothing. Everything was a gift. He received God when God gave as well as when God took back. He didn’t consider himself the owner of anything. We all have so much to learn from him. Sometimes when we lose things that we hold dear, we complain as if we’ve done something to earn God’s disfavor, but he blessed us with favor unearned, too.
- The saints we celebrate today show us how to receive others in God’s name and to be grateful for everything we have. Saints Cosmas and Damian were twins, doctors and eventually martyrs under Diocletian. They were called anargyroi, “penniless ones,” or “non-mercenaries,” because they never charged for their medical services at a time when many doctors were charlatans taking people’s entire savings on one invented “remedy” after another. Cosmas’ and Damian’s goodness was renowned and it was an opportunity for them to explain why they were so generous, because of the generosity they received. We should all have a similar ambition to give and to serve out of love rather than for remuneration, even if we should happen to be remunerated. They recognized that they were receiving far more by having the opportunity to love together with Christ, to serve rather than to be served, than they ever would have received through payment.
- Today as we prepare to receive Jesus in Holy Communion and the Father who sent him, we ask for the grace to receive others whom Jesus sends, as well as the blessings he gives and may take away.
The readings for today’s Mass were:
Reading 1 JB 1:6-22
One day, when the angels of God came to present themselves before the LORD,
Satan also came among them.
And the LORD said to Satan, “Whence do you come?”
Then Satan answered the LORD and said,
“From roaming the earth and patrolling it.”
And the LORD said to Satan,
“Have you noticed my servant Job,
and that there is no one on earth like him,
blameless and upright, fearing God and avoiding evil?”
But Satan answered the LORD and said,
“Is it for nothing that Job is God-fearing?
Have you not surrounded him and his family
and all that he has with your protection?
You have blessed the work of his hands,
and his livestock are spread over the land.
But now put forth your hand and touch anything that he has,
and surely he will blaspheme you to your face.”
And the LORD said to Satan,
“Behold, all that he has is in your power;
only do not lay a hand upon his person.”
So Satan went forth from the presence of the LORD.
And so one day, while his sons and his daughters
were eating and drinking wine
in the house of their eldest brother,
a messenger came to Job and said,
“The oxen were ploughing and the asses grazing beside them,
and the Sabeans carried them off in a raid.
They put the herdsmen to the sword,
and I alone have escaped to tell you.”
While he was yet speaking, another came and said,
“Lightning has fallen from heaven
and struck the sheep and their shepherds and consumed them;
and I alone have escaped to tell you.”
While he was yet speaking, another messenger came and said,
“The Chaldeans formed three columns,
seized the camels, carried them off,
and put those tending them to the sword,
and I alone have escaped to tell you.”
While he was yet speaking, another came and said,
“Your sons and daughters were eating and drinking wine
in the house of their eldest brother,
when suddenly a great wind came across the desert
and smote the four corners of the house.
It fell upon the young people and they are dead;
and I alone have escaped to tell you.”
Then Job began to tear his cloak and cut off his hair.
He cast himself prostrate upon the ground, and said,
“Naked I came forth from my mother’s womb,
and naked shall I go back again.
The LORD gave and the LORD has taken away;
blessed be the name of the LORD!”In all this Job did not sin,
nor did he say anything disrespectful of God.
Satan also came among them.
And the LORD said to Satan, “Whence do you come?”
Then Satan answered the LORD and said,
“From roaming the earth and patrolling it.”
And the LORD said to Satan,
“Have you noticed my servant Job,
and that there is no one on earth like him,
blameless and upright, fearing God and avoiding evil?”
But Satan answered the LORD and said,
“Is it for nothing that Job is God-fearing?
Have you not surrounded him and his family
and all that he has with your protection?
You have blessed the work of his hands,
and his livestock are spread over the land.
But now put forth your hand and touch anything that he has,
and surely he will blaspheme you to your face.”
And the LORD said to Satan,
“Behold, all that he has is in your power;
only do not lay a hand upon his person.”
So Satan went forth from the presence of the LORD.
And so one day, while his sons and his daughters
were eating and drinking wine
in the house of their eldest brother,
a messenger came to Job and said,
“The oxen were ploughing and the asses grazing beside them,
and the Sabeans carried them off in a raid.
They put the herdsmen to the sword,
and I alone have escaped to tell you.”
While he was yet speaking, another came and said,
“Lightning has fallen from heaven
and struck the sheep and their shepherds and consumed them;
and I alone have escaped to tell you.”
While he was yet speaking, another messenger came and said,
“The Chaldeans formed three columns,
seized the camels, carried them off,
and put those tending them to the sword,
and I alone have escaped to tell you.”
While he was yet speaking, another came and said,
“Your sons and daughters were eating and drinking wine
in the house of their eldest brother,
when suddenly a great wind came across the desert
and smote the four corners of the house.
It fell upon the young people and they are dead;
and I alone have escaped to tell you.”
Then Job began to tear his cloak and cut off his hair.
He cast himself prostrate upon the ground, and said,
“Naked I came forth from my mother’s womb,
and naked shall I go back again.
The LORD gave and the LORD has taken away;
blessed be the name of the LORD!”In all this Job did not sin,
nor did he say anything disrespectful of God.
Responsorial Psalm PS 17:1BCD, 2-3, 6-7
R. (6) Incline your ear to me and hear my word.
Hear, O LORD, a just suit;
attend to my outcry;
hearken to my prayer from lips without deceit.
R. Incline your ear to me and hear my word.
From you let my judgment come;
your eyes behold what is right.
Though you test my heart, searching it in the night,
though you try me with fire, you shall find no malice in me.
R. Incline your ear to me and hear my word.
I call upon you, for you will answer me, O God;
incline your ear to me; hear my word.
Show your wondrous mercies,
O savior of those who flee
from their foes to refuge at your right hand.
R. Incline your ear to me and hear my word.
Hear, O LORD, a just suit;
attend to my outcry;
hearken to my prayer from lips without deceit.
R. Incline your ear to me and hear my word.
From you let my judgment come;
your eyes behold what is right.
Though you test my heart, searching it in the night,
though you try me with fire, you shall find no malice in me.
R. Incline your ear to me and hear my word.
I call upon you, for you will answer me, O God;
incline your ear to me; hear my word.
Show your wondrous mercies,
O savior of those who flee
from their foes to refuge at your right hand.
R. Incline your ear to me and hear my word.
Alleluia MK 10:45
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
The Son of Man came to serve
and to give his life as a ransom for many.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
The Son of Man came to serve
and to give his life as a ransom for many.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Gospel LK 9:46-50
An argument arose among the disciples
about which of them was the greatest.
Jesus realized the intention of their hearts and took a child
and placed it by his side and said to them,
“Whoever receives this child in my name receives me,
and whoever receives me receives the one who sent me.
For the one who is least among all of you
is the one who is the greatest.”
Then John said in reply,
“Master, we saw someone casting out demons in your name
and we tried to prevent him
because he does not follow in our company.”
Jesus said to him,
“Do not prevent him, for whoever is not against you is for you.”
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