The disciples seek greatness and prove, yet again, they’ve missed the point!
Jesus calls for integrity and justice in relationships and rejects treating others as mere objects for one’s self-gratification. This concern connects his teaching on divorce with his welcome of children and offers us a way to interpret the commandment in pastorally meaningful ways for our own time.
The challenge posed by observing these two special days simultaneously comes from something angels are commonly said to do, which is protect people from harm. I am sure that we are all familiar with the idea of ‘guardian angels’, for instance. Indeed, in our Collect of the Day today, we prayed that ‘at [God’s] command,’ the ‘holy angels… may help and defend us here on earth.’
Who people are and what people do, matter to God. Which means we matter to God. Which means we matter, period.
So how do we fulfill our God-given purpose to be in right relationship with our neighbours and with God?