Playing Favorites

The 23rd Sunday in Ordinary Time
Today’s Readings: Isa 35: 4-7; Ps 146; Jas 2: 1-5; Mk 7: 31-37


When I was pastor of St. Stephen’s in Streator, one of the special days I looked forward to each year was giving a retreat to the graduating class of 8th graders at our school. During one of my talks, I would take a crisp $20 bill out of my pocket and hold it up. “Who would like this brand-new $20 bill?” I’d ask the group. Naturally, every hand went up.

“Just a second,” I’d say. Then I’d crumple up the bill. I’d smooth it back out and ask, “Who still wants it?” The same hands went up in the air.

“Well, what if I do this?” Then I dropped the bill on the ground and started to grind it with my shoe. I picked it up, all crumpled and dirty and asked, “Now who still wants it?” Again, all the hands went into the air.

Then I’d smile and tell the kids, “You’ve all just learned a valuable lesson. No matter what I did to the money, you still wanted it because it didn’t go down in value at all. It was still worth $20. Many times in our lives, we get dropped, crumpled and ground into the dirt by the circumstances of life—sometimes because we made bad decisions. Maybe we even feel like we’re worthless. But no matter what happened to you in the past or what happens to you in the future, you will never ever lose your value in God’s eyes. Dirty or clean, crumpled or beautifully crisp, you are priceless to him.”

If only we could see each other that way!

In his letter today, James reminds us: My brothers and sisters, show no partiality as you adhere to the faith in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ. Show no partiality. Don’t play favorites.

James gives the example of not treating rich or well-dressed people better than poor or shabby-looking people. But that’s just one tiny aspect of this very broad teaching. We shouldn’t show favoritism to healthy people over sick or disabled people… to well-educated people over those with less schooling… to genteel and polished folks over those who curse like stevedores… to straight people over gay or lesbian or even transgendered people… to accomplished surgeons over back-alley abortionists… to political allies over political foes… to humanitarians over tyrants… to friends over enemies… to family over outsiders…

Why? Because each and every person who lives and breathes is infinitely precious to God—dirty or clean, crumpled or beautifully crisp, whether you like them or can’t stand them—not because of what they do, but because of who they are: children of God made in his image and likeness. And we—the Lord’s other kids—have absolutely no right or business to judge or despise anyone who is beloved to God.

Are you squirming yet?

Human nature, being what it is, encourages us to laugh nervously and pass over this Scripture teaching after a rapid and shallow reading. It’s a bit uncomfortable, isn’t it? Maybe we tell ourselves: This doesn’t apply to me. But truthfully, we all harbor the potential of being a bit of a religious hypocrite by showing favoritism. It is so easy to do.

A priest friend of mine was kind of proud of a program he had started several years back. Every Wednesday morning, he taught catechism to a group of homeless people—and they served a hot meal and had an open clothes closet. He and his group of volunteer helpers treated all the people who came with respect and real concern.

The only thing was, it was held in the church basement, and none of those people ever got to go into the beautiful church upstairs! Not to pray, not to look around…

One Wednesday, the usual group of homeless people started arriving only to find that the church parking lot was full of nice cars and well-dressed people. An important member of the parish had died and they were having her funeral. No class or food for the homeless that day. But were any of these precious children of God invited to attend the funeral? What do you think? James has a point.

We must beware when other people’s oppressions seem less important than our own or when they make us feel superior. We’ve got to struggle mightily with ourselves. And as always, we have to keep our eye on the Lord Jesus. He shows us how we should think and feel and act. As James tells us: Did not God choose those who are poor in the world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom that he promised to those who love him?

We mustn’t be demoralized by our failure to love as we should. But we should feel challenged and energized and inspired to do better out of our love for God who loves us totally, even with our many flaws. Let this be our prayer today for ourselves and for one another.