Twenty-ninth Sunday in Ordinary Time

Reading I
Is 53:10-11

The LORD was pleased
to crush him in infirmity.

If he gives his life as an offering for sin,
he shall see his descendants in a long life,
and the will of the LORD shall be accomplished through him.

Because of his affliction
he shall see the light in fullness of days;
through his suffering, my servant shall justify many,
and their guilt he shall bear.

Responsorial Psalm
Ps 33:4-5, 18-19, 20, 22

R. (22) Lord, let your mercy be on us, as we place our trust in you.
Upright is the word of the LORD,
and all his works are trustworthy.
He loves justice and right;
of the kindness of the LORD the earth is full.
R. Lord, let your mercy be on us, as we place our trust in you.
See, the eyes of the LORD are upon those who fear him,
upon those who hope for his kindness,
to deliver them from death
and preserve them in spite of famine.
R. Lord, let your mercy be on us, as we place our trust in you.
Our soul waits for the LORD,
who is our help and our shield.
May your kindness, O LORD, be upon us
who have put our hope in you.
R. Lord, let your mercy be on us, as we place our trust in you.

Reading II
Heb 4:14-16

Brothers and sisters:
Since we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens,
Jesus, the Son of God,
let us hold fast to our confession.
For we do not have a high priest
who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses,
but one who has similarly been tested in every way,
yet without sin.
So let us confidently approach the throne of grace
to receive mercy and to find grace for timely help.

Gospel
Mk 10:35-45 or 10:42-45

James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came to Jesus and said to him,
"Teacher, we want you to do for us whatever we ask of you."
He replied, "What do you wish me to do for you?"
They answered him, "Grant that in your glory
we may sit one at your right and the other at your left."
Jesus said to them, "You do not know what you are asking.
Can you drink the cup that I drink
or be baptized with the baptism with which I am baptized?"
They said to him, "We can."
Jesus said to them, "The cup that I drink, you will drink,
and with the baptism with which I am baptized, you will be baptized;
but to sit at my right or at my left is not mine to give
but is for those for whom it has been prepared."
When the ten heard this, they became indignant at James and John.
Jesus summoned them and said to them,
"You know that those who are recognized as rulers over the Gentiles
lord it over them,
and their great ones make their authority over them felt.
But it shall not be so among you.
Rather, whoever wishes to be great among you will be your servant;
whoever wishes to be first among you will be the slave of all.
For the Son of Man did not come to be served
but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many."

or

Jesus summoned the Twelve and said to them,
"You know that those who are recognized as rulers over the Gentiles
lord it over them,
and their great ones make their authority over them felt.
But it shall not be so among you.
Rather, whoever wishes to be great among you will be your servant;
whoever wishes to be first among you will be the slave of all.
For the Son of Man did not come to be served
but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many."

Commentary

Today’s First Reading, taken from chapter 53 of Deutero-Isaiah, tells us that the “Servant” was delivered up to death and was counted with the wicked, although he had done no wrong.  His life was given as a sacrifice for the sins of others.  The key point of the entire chapter is that the sufferings of the righteous can bear the sin of others and is based on the analogy of sacrifice, which is very well illustrated in the famous ritual of the scapegoat of Leviticus 16.  In the scapegoat story, Aaron confesses the sins of the Israelites over the goat and puts it on his head, and carries the sins off to the wilderness.  Although this is only a symbolic act, it can have a powerful effect on the people as long as they actively participate in the ritual.  They must understand the symbolism and intend to express their desire to separate from sin.  Performing the ritual alone does not transform the people.  The model of the Servant helps us to make sense of suffering.  It also suggests a type of evangelization by bearing the burdens of others and setting an example.  For Christians this model was exemplified in Jesus, whose suffering and death were also understood as a sacrifice for our sins.

The Second Reading sets the tone for the second major section of Hebrews: Christ is the unique high priest whose once-for-all sacrifice of himself for the sins of humanity accomplish what other rituals cannot.  Christ’s sacrifice begins a new covenant.  The theme of Jesus as high priest had been introduced in chapter 2, where he was called merciful and faithful.  Now, the author of Hebrews focuses on Jesus’ mercy, which is rooted in his sharing of human nature.  Because he shared in our humanity completely, he was tempted in every way that all human beings are.  However, Jesus did not succumb to sin.  The term “who has passed through the heavens” is probably reflects the common Jewish view of a series of heavens, in the highest of which God dwells.  The short passage from today’s reading challenges the reader to continue on the journey toward God.

Today’s Gospel Reading continues the theme of the demand and consequences of discipleship.  The question asked by James and John serves to highlight the obtuseness (stupidity) of the disciples.  Jesus responds to their question with three answers:

1.                  A place in the kingdom demands suffering.

2.                  It is not for Jesus to determine the status of those in the kingdom.

3.                  Leadership in Jesus’ community means service (diaconos- lit., “one who waits on tables”).

Because James and John, along with Peter, are the “inner circle” among the disciples they should have known better than to request such a thing from Jesus.  Their request implies that they want to receive a certain status within the kingdom.  The request is therefore at odds with Jesus’ preaching and example.  The images of drinking from the cup and sharing in Jesus’ baptism are references to suffering and death.  The two disciple’s response: “yes” is full of irony in light of their cowardice and abandonment of Jesus during the passion.  Jesus’ response: “but to sit at my right or at my left is not mine to give” is actually assigning this decision to the Father.  This very phrase was exploited during the Arian Heresy (Arianism) to argue that Jesus (and the Holy Spirit) are subordinate to the Father and therefore not one in being with him, thereby denying the Trinitarian doctrine.

In the wake of question by James and John, Jesus goes on to teach the twelve about the consequences of discipleship: “whoever wishes to be great among you will be your servant; whoever wishes to be first among you will be the slave of all”.  The key term here is diaconos (servant) and doulos (slave), which contrast sharply with the power terminology used by James and John.

Reflection

To be a member of a community means fraternity, and this means recognizing that we are all brothers and sisters with one common Father, God Almighty.  As brothers and Sisters, Jesus challenges us to do the will of the Father, which is to do good to everyone.  This challenge means that we must place under the power of love: our service, obligation, and compassion.  Jesus tells us: “Let the greatest among you become the least, and the servant of all”.  I have witnessed (in many occasions) moments when the same people who glory in saying they’re “good Catholics” have denied help to someone from our community.  Maybe it was unintentional but we must remember that we are also responsible for the good that is left undone.

Jesus was very clear when he said that he had come to serve and not be served.  I think many forget this part of Jesus and keep only the image of him that’s convenient.  Every baptized person is a part of the “Mystical Body of Christ”, and what we do or fail to do, we do or don’t do to Christ himself.  But what does this have to do with today’s reading?  People will complain (for example) that the church building is dirty and in need of upkeep, or that there aren’t not enough CCD teachers, or people to help in the St. Vincent de Paul kitchen.  Are we doing anything to change this or do we turn our backs to the problem?  Will we jump at the opportunity to serve in any capacity, or only if it will bring us recognition?  If we’re unable to show our commitment to following Jesus the servant in small things, how can we expect to do great things?

The purpose of any ministry and its members is to SERVE the community, whether it be through prayer, preaching, evangelizing, consoling, etc.  But, whatever charism the ministry claims to have, it must be at the service of others.  If we fail to recognize this we become nothing more than a fraud.  Jesus tells us: “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord’ will enter the Kingdom of Heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father”.  Discipleship means service – to do good.  It causes me great pain when I hear someone criticize the people who put forth great effort to edify the Church, but will not lift a finger to help.  It also pains me when I see so few ministries willing to serve unless they can get something out of it: it’s the “what’s in it for me” attitude.  Jesus assures us that whoever does things so that others may see them, has already received their reward.

Biblical Sources

New American Bible; Brown, R. K., and Comfort, P. W. (trans.) and Douglas, J. D., (ed.) “The New Greek-English Interlinear New Testament”; United States Conference of Catholic Bishops; Knight, G. A. E., “Servant Theology: Isaiah 40-55”; Seitz, C. (ed.), “Reading and Preaching the Book of Isaiah”; Stuhlmueller, C., “Creative Redemption in Deutero-Isaiah”; Attridge, H. W., "Hebrews"; Bruce, F. F., "The Epistle to the Hebrews"; Kingsbury, J. D., “The Christology of Mark’s Gospel”; Schweizer, E., “The Good News According to Mark”; Tuckett, C. (ed.), “The Messianic Secret”; “The Collegeville Bible Commentary”; Brown, Raymond E., S.S., “Introduction to the New Testament”; Brown, Fitzmyer, and Murphy (ed.) “The New Jerome Biblical Commentary”.

Reflection by

Deacon Lazaro J. Ulloa