Greatness in God’s Kingdom
The disciples thought that if Jesus was the long-awaited Messiah, then someday He would be king, and they would be ruling the new kingdom at His side. Whoever sits at the king’s side on the right and on the left would be second only to the king himself. James and John asked Jesus that when Jesus establishes His kingdom, they may sit one at His right and the other at His left (cf. Mark 10:37; Matthew 20:21). James and John were planning ahead – they wanted Jesus to guarantee to them the highest positions of honor when the time comes; but the other disciples became indignant because if Jesus granted their request, they would be ranked lower than the two brothers!
Many people wish to be great, and they reckon that they can achieve greatness by gaining power, honor and positions of authority. But according to Christ, the first and greatest among His disciples must be the servant and slave of all (cf. Mark 10:43-44; Matthew 20:26-27). The greatest in the Kingdom of God are the humble servants – people who take upon their own shoulders the burdens of mankind and produce fruitful works of faith, hope and love. The greatest in God’s kingdom are those who aim to give so much more to the world than what they take from it.
“The Tower” by Richard Paul Evans is a story of a young man who wanted to be great. He thought that in order to be great, he had to be higher than everyone else. But in his quest for greatness, he learns step by step what greatness really means. His encounters with the poor old woman and the little boy on the tree made him realize that in order to be great, one must be concerned not of himself, but of others.
Humble service is based on the love of God and neighbor, and it results from a deep understanding of our relationship with God. If we see ourselves as children of God, depending on Him for life, health, purpose and meaning, then we begin to understand that life is not all about us, and that we in this world for a far greater purpose than our own. When we accept the idea that our accomplishments all come from God, then it no longer matters who accomplishes what, because we begin to see the bigger picture that we are all in this world together.
There is an ancient Chinese saying: “Why is the sea – the king of a hundred river valleys? Because the sea is humble and lies below all of them.” (Lao Tzu – Tao Te Ching)
This year, Giving Tuesday is on November 30, 2021. Donations to our church will be accepted beginning on November 15, 2021. Ask your family and friends to go to the igivecatholic.org website and select HOLY NAME OF JESUS CHINESE CATHOLIC MISSION。Thank you！
This year’s fund-raising project for Giving Tuesday Several times a year, it rains really hard! The church’s existing drainage system needs to be upgraded to handle the water discharge. This problem was identified in both the front and back of the Sanctuary building. At this time, we will address the front first by installing a French drain. Our contractor estimated $3,350 for labor and materials. Looking to raise $3,350 for our next major improvement project. Will you share our story?
Garage Sale
Our pre-Christmas holiday garage sale will be on November 6. Please check if you have items in good condition to donate. Please do not bring old TV, computers, printers, monitors, electronics, mirrors, large furniture, or any broken items. Thank you!
Chinese Bible Study
ONLY FOR THIS WEEK, Chinese bible study will be on Tuesday at 10:00am.
Normal schedule will be followed thereafter.