Saturday, September 23, 2006
25th Sunday in Ordinary Time
September 24, 2006
25th Sunday in Ordinary Time - B
WISDOM 2:12, 17-20
The wicked say: Let us beset the just one, because he is obnoxious to
us; he sets himself against our doings, reproaches us for
transgressions of the law and charges us with violations of our
training. Let us see whether his words be true; let us find out what
will happen to him. For if the just one be the son of God, God will
defend him and deliver him from the hand of his foes. With revilement
and torture let us put the just one to the test that we may have proof
of his gentleness and try his patience. Let us condemn him to a
shameful death; for according to his own words, God will take care of
him.
JAMES 3:16--4:3
Beloved: Where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there is disorder
and every foul practice. But the wisdom from above is first of all
pure, then peaceable, gentle, compliant, full of mercy and good fruits,
without inconstancy or insincerity. And the fruit of righteousness is
sown in peace for those who cultivate peace. Where do the wars and
where do the conflicts among you come from? Is it not from your
passions that make war within your members? You covet but do not
possess. You kill and envy but you cannot obtain; you fight and wage
war. You do not possess because you do not ask. You ask but do not
receive, because you ask wrongly, to spend it on your passions.
MARK 9:30-37
Jesus and his disciples left from there and began a journey through
Galilee, but he did not wish anyone to know about it. He was teaching
his disciples and telling them, "The Son of Man is to be handed over to
men and they will kill him, and three days after his death the Son of
Man will rise." But they did not understand the saying, and they were
afraid to question him. They came to Capernaum and, once inside the
house, he began to ask them, "What were you arguing about on the way?"
But they remained silent. They had been discussing among themselves on
the way who was the greatest. Then he sat down, called the Twelve, and
said to them, "If anyone wishes to be first, he shall be the last of
all and the servant of all." Taking a child, he placed it in the their
midst, and putting his arms around it, he said to them, "Whoever
receives one child such as this in my name, receives me; and whoever
receives me, receives not me but the One who sent me."
REFLECTION
In today's Gospel, the teaching of Jesus gives us a truer view of
reality. The event took place on the way to Capernaum. The Apostles
were heatedly arguing as to who was the greatest, the most important.
Recall too, when James and John requested Jesus that they be placed in
the positions of honor, one to the left and the other to the right of
Jesus in the kingdom. The others were angered at the request. And Jesus
admonished them, "You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over
them, and the great ones made their authority over them felt. But it
shall not be so among you. Rather, whoever wishes to be great among you
shall be your servant; whoever wishes to be the first among you shall
be your slave. Just so, the Son of Man did not come to be served but to
serve and to give his life as a ransom for many." (Matthew 20:25-28)
Today's liturgy reminds us of what Christian leadership means, and our
call to service.
Our Guide and Model is Jesus. He not only comes as one who serves, but
he was seen as the Suffering Servant of Yahweh of whom Isaiah the
prophet speaks: "He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows,
and acquainted with grief."
And St. Paul writes to the Christians in Philippi: "... Though he was
in the form of God, [He] did not regard equality with God something to
be grasped. Rather, he emptied himself, taking the form of a slave,
coming in human likeness; and found human in appearance, He humbled
himself, becoming obedient to death, Even death on a cross."
What did service mean for this servant?
Obedience...humiliation...death.
How does the servant Jesus touch our service? Intimately. For a
disciple is not above his teacher, nor a servant above his master.
Christian service is Christ's service.
And so it involves in the first place - obedience. In essence, to be
obedient means to be open. Open to what God might ask of you, might ask
of you now - a God who calls in unexpected ways, to unexpected service.
The God, who calls countless Saints to heroic service, the God, who
calls millions of nameless Christians to lose their life in order to
save it, to give their lives as a ransom, a redemption for many. This
unpredictable God even calls some strange characters to become Jesuits.
You will hardly be a servant of Christ if you are not open, if your
tomorrows are so programmed that there is no room for the unexpected.
No, to be Christ's servant is to be as he was: "Not my will but thine
be done." Only in this way will you be open to the men and women who
need the gifts God has given you, need your hands or your heart, your
wisdom or your strength, your love and your compassion.
Second, humiliation. The primary way Christ humbled himself was in
emptying himself. He put off his right to be God, and put himself in
our condition, became like us. So, don't wait for others to humiliate
you. Christian life is a constant self-emptying, a putting off of
yesterday, to join the human race of today. Like Jesus you must be
increasingly aware of your solidarity with every man and every woman.
In this way only can you be the servant of all.
Third, death. Not just the dying at the end of our earthly existence.
Here we mean the daily dying to yourself that you cannot escape in
Christian living. It is the dying that comes from openness to God and
self-emptying. To die to yourself is to live to God and to others.
Let's conclude by listening prayerfully to the words of a great
Christian of modern times, Albert Schweitzer, who turned his back on
the concert halls of Europe to become a missionary doctor to the poor
in Africa. Schweitzer said:
"I don't know what your destiny will be, but one thing I know; the only
ones among you who will really be happy are those who sought and found
how to serve."
PRAYER REQUESTS
We pray ...
- for a deep and profound respect for life, especially for the unborn.
- for the birthday and continued well-being of Ram.
- for the eternal repose of the soul of Judge Eduardo Caguioa.
Eternal rest grant unto him and may perpetual light shine upon him.
May he and all the souls of the dearly departed rest in peace.
- for the eternal repose of the soul of Irene Buluran. Eternal rest
grant unto her and may perpetual light shine upon her. May she and
all the souls of the dearly departed rest in peace.
- for the eternal repose of the soul of Col. Juan. Eternal rest
grant unto him and may perpetual light shine upon him. May he and
all the souls of the dearly departed rest in peace.
- for all the prayer intentions in the MTQ Dailyprayer Diary.
- Birthday: Joe Sim
- In Memoriam (+): Crescencia D. Lao (1917-2001)
- for world peace and reconciliation.
Finally, we pray for one another, for those who have asked our
prayers and for those who need our prayers the most.
Have a good day!
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