Bentley's and Beemers and Lexus, oh my!

Luke 9:46-50

          Here's another clue about me,  I drive a Prius as my daily driver but alas, there is also a very nice Lexus in my stable as well. Judging by the number of Lexuses (Lexi?) in some of the more affluent areas around here, I'd say it could be considered a snooty car. The Island on which I live is loaded with Beemers, Mercs, Rolls' and Porsche's galore.  It seems everyone tries to outdo the next fellow either to display their wealth or how much they deserve it.  To me it's a bit like arguing who is the greatest and you get to vote with the car you drive. Automobiles are a challenge for me. I have loved them since childhood and I have had quite a variety in my life. Still, I know that what I drive has almost no bearing on who I am and whether I deserve it or not. It certainly does not make me better than anyone else. To the contrary, I often find the well healed drive the best cars and are the worst drives, perhaps even rude and dangerous.

            So what pearl do I have to drop about who is the greatest? Pope Francis was quite right when he encouraged Priests (and people) to live modestly. 'Things' do not make you any greater than anyone else. It reminds me of the saying, 'live simply so others may simply live'. What makes you great is how you love. Even in that regard I will not admit to being any greater than anyone else. I am blessed with a wonderful husband, a great cat, wonderful children and grandchildren. If I love it is often because it is so easy to do. No merit in that really.

             So the call is to live more simply and to love. Pope Francis has it correct. Our challenge is to try and balance it all. Our call is to look deep inside ourselves and make hard decisions about what we want to do and who we want to be. If you love freely and openly; if you can afford to help your fellow man and still afford the so called finer things in life, I am sure God is thrilled. 

            The challenge though is to make honest assessments of ourselves. A great way to start the new year.

An argument arose among them as to which one of them was the greatest. But Jesus, aware of their inner thoughts, took a little child and put it by his side, and said to them, ‘Whoever welcomes this child in my name welcomes me, and whoever welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me; for the least among all of you is the greatest.’

John answered, ‘Master, we saw someone casting out demons in your name, and we tried to stop him, because he does not follow with us.’ But Jesus said to him, ‘Do not stop him; for whoever is not against you is for you.’