What is often hidden from we who are clever and learned is the truth that we live in dependence. When we’re clever, about getting money, or we’re learned, about getting information, we can forget that simple truth about dependence. Wealth and information tempt us toward self-reliance, self-sufficiency. We might even be tempted to use both to dominate other people; to be greedy and scheming. If we’re clever about money we dominate to keep others poor. If we’re clever about information we dominate to keep others uninformed. Those who are not so clever or so learned are those Jesus calls “the little ones.” Little ones are not however foolish. They know we all need each other. They know our lives depend upon the resources and knowledge we share. We all know withholding such things is cruel and yet there are those who do it.
That cruelty by the clever and learned against little ones is being done by officials in Detroit these days. Wealthy unelected corporate officials are dominating political and economic policy. They overrode constitutional law to rob public employees of pension and health benefits. The corporate officials then filed for bankruptcy claiming the workers benefits were impoverishing the city. They lied. In truth, the money the workers put in is being systematically stolen. In part, it was such money, trillions of dollars’ worth from these worker’s funds and others across the U.S., which was stolen through Wall Street. Wall Street financiers first misused and abused the funds through massive frauds resulting in massive bankruptcies only to have massive bailouts paid for with more of the people’s funds. The city’s little ones are now suffering under austerity measures. At the same time, the city’s wealthy and learned officials – politicians, bank owners, corporate CEO’s – are reporting staggering financial gains. Last week, these same clever city officials schemed together to shut off water to thousands of residents who owe nickels and dimes on their bills. The clever and scheming officials did not turn off water to corporations who owe a total of $41 million on their water bills. Neighbors are helping neighbors to alleviate the cruelties of the city’s clever and learned. Officials living in collusion is so very different than people living in dependence.
Looking up to others can be helpful, especially when we are young; so long as we learn character traits such as service and kindness. Sometimes looking up to others devolves into valuing superficialities such as wealth and scheming. They are cruel qualities. There comes a time when we need to look across; to those who share lives lived in dependence. It is the easy yoke and light burden of which Jesus speaks. Jesus too was a little one yoked to other little ones. He calls us to be little ones as well.
Prayer: Spirit of Dependence, keep us humble, open to child-like vulnerability.
Question: Who are the little ones burdened by suffering to whom I can reach out?
July 6, 2014 Gospel Matthew 11:25-30 Fourteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time (July 4th weekend)