Playing Favourites

A Reflection on the ​Second Reading for Sunday, September 8th, 2024:
Twenty-Third Sunday in Ordinary Time

---

James
2.1-5​

My brothers and sisters, do you with your acts of favouritism really believe in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ? For if a man with gold rings and in fine clothes comes into your assembly, and if a poor person in dirty clothes also comes in, and if you take notice of the one wearing the fine clothes and say, “Have a seat here, please,” while to the one who is poor you say, “Stand there,” or, “Sit at my feet,” have you not made distinctions among yourselves, and become judges with evil thoughts?

Listen, my beloved brothers and sisters. Has not God chosen the poor in the world to be rich in faith and to be heirs of the kingdom that he has promised to those who love him?

Pause. Pray. Reflect.

My family has a holiday tradition where my mom buys us each a personalized Christmas ornament. We get to open it when we decorate the family Christmas tree, a few weeks before Christmas officially begins. But a few years ago, she decided on a twist. She bought a number of ornaments with different phrases on them: “I’m the smart one,” “I’m the annoying one,” “I’m the cute one,” “I’m the bossy one,” and “I’m the favourite.” And then she told my brothers and me that we had to decide amongst ourselves who was supposed to have each ornament. Much drama ensued! I think in the end I came home with “I’m the bossy one,” but the biggest arguments were definitely over who would get “I’m the favourite.” 

Favouritism is natural, quite literally. Human beings have evolved to be social creatures, and social groups are defined by who’s in and who’s out. Many of us pick a spouse as our favourite person, we have a best friend who has our highest loyalty, we know which members of our extended family we’re happiest to have over. But favouritism is not God’s way. We know this first and foremost because God gave us His only Son, knowing we would have Him killed. If God didn’t love us like His own children, He would have done what any parent would do and kept His Son for Himself. His willingness to put His whole heart on the line for us is a model we’re called to emulate.

When it comes to building healthy faith communities, James was writing to some of the earliest churches, but his advice remains more relevant than ever today. It’s natural to form cliques, sit by our friends, and chat with our favourite people after Mass. This reading is a reminder that we need to set aside our natural inclinations and practise being more like our God. We’re called to sit next to the person who’s sitting alone, to welcome the visitor who seems unsure of what to do, to warmly greet the person whose clothing or attitude makes us uncomfortable. We don’t gather as a faith community to serve ourselves but to serve others, especially those who are struggling the most. 

It's easy to love those who love us, to be kind to those who are kind to us, to show generosity to those we know will return the favour. But the next time you gather as a faith community – whether that’s going to Mass or attending a Life Group or simply hosting a dinner of church friends – listen to James’s reminder and find the beloved of God who may not be beloved by the community. Extend them your kindness to ensure that God’s love is fully present to them through you today.




Jenna Young

---