Many of you will recognize the title of this article as one of the favorite lines uttered by 3 time world boxing champion, Muhammed Ali (the former Cassius Clay). He used it to highlight his ability to move swiftly around the ring outside his opponents reach while also being able to suddenly strike out, inflicting a devastating blow. He is widely considered to be the best boxer in history.
He also is famously known as referring to himself as the “Greatest of All Time”. Not what some would call a model of humility.
In the Disney story, Beauty and the Beast, a handsome and powerful prince greets an old beggar woman at the door to his castle. He rebukes her and sends her on her way but not before she reveals herself as a powerful witch. She inflicts a spell on the prince turning him into a hideous beast with the only way for him to return to his former self is to learn to love and be loved in return. His arrogance in his own lofty status in life are what condemn him.
So are the two individuals, Ali and the Beast, one and the same? Both caught up in their own sense of self worth to the exclusion of the “less fortunate”? Let’s look at today’s Gospel reading for some clues.
The disciples ask Jesus who is the greatest in the Kingdom of God. Now why would they ask this unless they were looking for a specific response. Jesus knew that what they wanted was validation that they were a part of the “In Crowd”. You can almost see them strutting down the street, head back, chin up and almost looking down on those who were not lucky enough to be hanging with the rock star that Jesus had become. Now we know the apostles were, for the most part, less than stellar in their abilities to fathom Jesus’ mission. So for them to have had this attitude of superiority was somewhat incongruitous. In a sense, it was possibly their own insecurity that lead to the desire to have a position of being the greatest.
The prince, aka The Beast? He lived a life of privilege. It is likely he had household staff whose jobs hinged on how often they told him how wonderful he was. We know that insecurity often breeds the need to be showered with praise on a regular basis. He had no use for someone of such an obvious lower social class as the beggar at his door.
Ali? The same? I don’t think so. At least not completely. I propose that his bravado was part of the show. A way to promote his image and escalate the value of his matches. He was the ultimate promoter. But that wasn’t the whole story. Ali was as equally known for his philanthropy as for his fighting prowess. He was heavily involved in hunger relief, taking part in several peace missions, helping to achieve release of hostages, and delivering medical aid to Cuba. He, at least in part, used his notoriety to help those less fortunate.
And his faith was a basic part of who he was. You may agree or disagree with his avoiding being sent to Vietnam by claiming religious objection, but he accepted the consequences of his actions, including having his title stripped from him. And this quote gives some indication of the role his faith played:
“Allah’s the Arabic term for God. Stand up for God, fight for God, work for God and do the right thing, and go the right way, things will end up in your corner.”
In today’s first reading from Baruch the prophet exhorts the Israelites over how their actions in worshiping idols angered God and drove Him to exile them to Babylon. God used the Babylonians, and their King, to discipline His people in an attempt to have them repent and return to Him. It is not vengeance on the part of God but rather an attempt at instruction. In a sense, God is trying to instill a bit of humility in them. To show them that it is by His hands that they are saved. Not their own. He is asking them, and us, to turn all things over to Him.
True growth is knowing that we are beloved children of God. No matter what we accomplish or don’t accomplish. As long as the focus is on the “little ones” in our lives.
“The true test of a man’s character is what he does when no one is watching.” (John Wooden. Former coach of UCLA men’s basketball team)
