Twenty-Ninth Sunday in Ordinary Time
Is. 53:10-11 | Ps. 33:4-5, 18-20, 22 | Heb. 4:14 -16 | Mk. 10:35-45
The mission of Jesus is a theme of all the readings today. Mark tells the story of James and John looking for the first places in Jesus’ kingdom. They are still visioning an earthly kingdom. Jesus brings them to reality and asks them if they are able to drink from the cup he is about to drink and be baptized with his baptism. Full of zeal they respond “yes.” Jesus tells them that they will indeed be baptized in this same manner and they will indeed drink from this cup. Paul’s letter to the Hebrews tells us what kind of a cup and baptism this is. Isaiah gives us a description of what the suffering servant would be called upon to endure. Paul reminds us that it is not only James and John who will experience this, but indeed all of us, if we are to be called to be followers of Christ. We live in a time when we know what happened to Christ and most of us think that we will never be called to suffer this way. However, Jesus continues to talk to the disciples and to call them to realize that one who is baptized is called to live with and for others in love. We cannot lord it over others. That includes the manner in which we help those who are in our lives, those with whom we work, those who are poor, those who are without the basic necessities of life. We are called to treat them with the same compassion that Jesus had for all.
Who are the people in your life? At home? At work? In your neighborhood? In Gainesville? In the World? Do you look down on anyone? Is there anyone you would not want to be around? Consider how Jesus would treat that person or persons. Ask for the grace to do the same.