29th Sunday of the Year (B)

(Edited) Sunday reflections (from) liturgical years 2014 (A), 2015 (B), and 2016 (C)

October 18, 2015
Liturgical readings
Isaiah 53:10-11
Psalm 33
Hebrews 4:14-16
Mark 10:35-45

"Anyone who wants to rank first must serve the needs of all."

There arose a feeling of indignation among the apostles. The reason is clear. James and John approached Jesus, and requested that they be sitted, one at His right, and the other at His left (when He comes into His glory). The action of James and John caused the others to react against the two brothers' ambitions. To remedy the situation, Jesus called all of them, and emphasized the priority of service above positions of honor and authority. The Lord's own words and deeds since the beginning of His public ministry attest to this teaching. Jesus began as a poor, itinerant preacher, who went about many villages to heal the sick, to reconcile sinners back to God, and to give hope to families by raising many dead back to life. And He continued to be so up to this point with James and John and the other apostles.

This example par excellance of Jesus' servant leadership in biblical times can be inculturated in any state of life. Even lay people are called to serve others in positions of leadership in work, family or community. These positions have their own specific difficulties, distinct from the clergy and the religious, but it is a Christian commitment just the same. It takes the grace and strength of Christ in the Sacraments, and a daily commitment to do God's will, that makes the good of Christian service clearly seen in secular realities where the clergy or religious cannot witness to. The laity can and should witness Christ in all or such situtations as: practicing an accounting or engineering profession, faithfully working as a paid employee, rearing up children as a widow, exercising one's leadership as CEO of a big corporation, managing a small business, defending the rights of the oppressed as a local politician...

The commitment to serve in many situations in which the lay people find themselves can be just as difficult and demanding. But St. Paul in his letter to the Romans is a source of strength and courage:

Suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not disappoint us, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit which has been given to us. (Romans 5:3-5)

This wisdom of Christian service is witnessed by the Eucharistic community. It is a wisdom not as welcomed by non-Catholics or non-Christians. They would not naturally see its value because many value the wisdom of power without service in the world. This was what James and John were tempted to do. But this direction creates division and can be both destructive and self-destructive. Jesus protects His apostles from falling into this temptation. He calls James and John and all His apostles to follow His Wisdom: a higher Wisdom that values self-denial above self-interest, mercy above justice based only on laws, and the love of God above all things. It is a Wisdom also for lay people. They to are to bring this Wisdom to others: in the very realities they work and live. The laity are called to make a world intent on power without service imbued with the strong light, fullness and order of Christian service in leadership.