This coming Sunday is the 29th Sunday in Year B of the lectionary cycle. It is a familiar story in which James and John seek glory: ““Grant that in your glory we may sit one at your right and the other at your left.” (Mark 10:37)
The tenth chapter of Mark has been especially dense with preparing the disciples for the time when Jesus will no longer be with them as their teacher. Jesus will enter Jerusalem at the beginning of Mark Chapter 11. The terrible fate that Jesus has already predicted for himself awaits even as he strives to have the disciples more fully understand the meaning of the Kingdom. At a certain level, this scene is déjà vu – didn’t Jesus just have a discussion with the disciples regarding the true meaning of greatness as service to the least among us? Hasn’t he already told them that the path of discipleship will consist, not just of demonstrations of power (healing and casting out demons), but also one in which one “must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me.” (8:34) Did they not draw any broader conclusion about the nature of the kingdom in Jesus’ exchange with the rich man (10:17-31)? Continue reading →
A man comes to Jesus seeking answers. The man knows that whatever his appearance on the outside, whatever his faithful and pious life, he’s missing something, something important, something that matters, something that’s a matter of life and death. The man instinctively knows this but is unable to put his finger on it. So he comes to Jesus and asks: “Good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” Continue reading →
This coming Sunday is the 28th Sunday in Ordinary Time. Earlier (3:35) Jesus had redefined his family. “(For) whoever does the will of God is my brother and sister and mother.” For many of the first believers, following Jesus meant leaving everything behind. What one gained by leaving the biological family behind was the faith-community, those who were doing the will of God
28 Peter began to say to him, “We have given up everything and followed you.” 29 Jesus said, “Amen, I say to you, there is no one who has given up house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or lands for my sake and for the sake of the gospel 30 who will not receive a hundred times more now in this present age: houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and lands, with persecutions, and eternal life in the age to come. 31 But many that are first will be last, and (the) last will be first.”
Peter again acts as the spokesman for the Twelve. His response stands in stark contrast to the refusal of the rich man to follow Jesus. The Twelve had abandoned everything in order to follow Jesus (Ch. 1:16–20; 2:14). Lane [371-2] notes that “Jesus’ response defines Christian existence in terms of promise and persecution, and history as the interplay of blessedness and suffering. The contrast between the present age and the age to come is thoroughly Palestinian in character and expresses the tension between promise and fulfillment in the life of faith. The frank recognition of the loss that allegiance to Jesus and the gospel may entail (cf. 13:12f.) is conditioned by the promise that all that is lost in one society (v. 29) will be regained a hundredfold in the new society created by the dynamic of the gospel (v. 30). This reassurance is addressed to any man who suffers loss for Jesus and the gospel. God takes nothing away from a man without restoring it to him in a new and glorious form. Jesus’ reference to the new family which will compensate for the loss sustained in one’s own family finds its preparation in 3:31–35.”
A Final Thought From Brian Stoffregen:
A dictionary definition of “sacrifice” is: “an act of giving up something valued for the sake of something else regarded as more important or worthy.” A key to a sacrifice is giving up something valued. We seldom are confronted with giving up things that we value for the sake of Christ who should be regarded as more important or worthy. How often are things donated to the church, things a family wants to get rid of — something they no longer value? Such giving can’t be called a “sacrifice”.
Frequently testimonies talk about giving the worst things in one’s life in order to follow Jesus, e.g., addictions, swearing, promiscuity, etc. In contrast, Paul’s testimony in Philippians 3:4-11 indicates that he gave up the very best things in his life, the most righteous things in his life, for the sake of the gospel.
What are some things that we value that Christ might ask us to give up in order to follow him? Soccer practices on Sunday? Watching football games on Sunday? Buying a new car?
However, if we are giving such things up only because we expect even greater things from following Christ, then we have probably haven’t given up our most important possession, the control of our own lives and destinies.
Image credit: Heinrich Hofmann | 1888 | Christ and the Rich Young Ruler | Brigham Young University Museum of Art | PD-US —- cartoon from AgnusDay.org
In today’s first reading, the epistle to the Galatians, the apostles makes clear that justification does not come by works of the law: “For all who depend on works of the law are under a curse.” The Church has, from its earliest times, condemned “works salvation” as early as the 4th century AD in addressing the Pelagian heresy. Continue reading →
This coming Sunday is the 28th Sunday in Ordinary Time. Before we address the question of wealth, the larger question is really “Who can be saved?” The answer in v.21 is clear – human beings cannot save themselves. Just can’t do it. But, nothing is impossible for God. Stoffregen writes: “The answer to ‘how hard?’ is ‘It’s impossible.’ Whenever we make it ‘possible’ to do with enough work or sacrifice, we miss the radical nature of Jesus’ comments; which were especially revolting because (1) it was naturally assumed that the wealthy were closer to God and were more likely to be saved than the common people and (2) it was naturally assumed that those who kept the commandments were closer to God and were more likely to be saved than the common people. The man in our text fulfilled both requirements — but doesn’t enter the kingdom — at least not based on his righteousness or wealth.” Continue reading →
This coming Sunday is the 28th Sunday in Ordinary Time. 21 Jesus, looking at him, loved him and said to him, “You are lacking in one thing. Go, sell what you have, and give to (the) poor and you will have treasure in heaven; then come, follow me.” 22 At that statement his face fell, and he went away sad, for he had many possessions.
Did you know that this is the only place in the gospels of Mark, Matthew, or Luke that Jesus is said to love (agapaō) someone. Then Jesus says, “give it all away and follow me.” When I have told Bible Study groups the uniqueness of this statement of love, it is not uncommon to hear a quip, “And this is love? I’ll take a pass.” It is said in jest, but…. all recognize that suddenly the high bar got very high. Continue reading →
This coming Sunday is the 28th Sunday in Ordinary Time.“Good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” Jesus answered him, “Why do you call me good? No one is good but God alone. In the Hebrew Scriptures only God is called “good,” although it was permissible to speak of “the good man” (e.g. Proverbs 12:2 etc.) as a characteristic derived from one’s fidelity to God. But the expression “Good teacher” has no parallel in Scripture or Jewish sources. One can only take it as a true expression of the man’s estimation of Jesus as someone close to God who would teach with wisdom. Continue reading →
I think we are all familiar with the entertainment industry awards …. Which seems to go on forever. This month we are in the Nobel Prize season with its announcements across a breadth of topics. But did you know that in the field of science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) it only awards in the categories of physics, chemistry and medicine. Given the specialization and interdisciplinary nature of STEM these days, the Nobel Prize – while prestigious – is not the pinnacle of success for most of the disciplines these days. Continue reading →
In this gospel story I think poor Martha is given a bit of a hard time. After all, Jesus says that Mary has chosen the better part and it will not be denied her. And what do we then conclude about the part that Martha has chosen. Another way to look at this is to put yourself in Martha’s shoes. Jesus shows up at your door – would you have the presence of mind and the willingness to throw open the door and invite him in? Regardless of the readiness or what’s in the refrigerator? Maybe there is a thing or two to learn from Martha for our own spiritual enrichment Continue reading →
This coming Sunday is the 28th Sunday in Ordinary Time.The beginning of the Gospel according to Mark begins with John the Baptist citing Isaiah speaking of the messenger: “he will prepare your way…Prepare the way of the Lord.” (Mark 1:2-3) In both verses the underlying word is hodos. There are other places in Mark when hodos is used and is translated as ‘way” – e.g., “the way of God in accordance with the truth,” and describing Jesus and the apostles “on the way” in 8:27 and 10:32. So it is odd that in 10:17, the same word hodos is translated as journey in the New American Bible (NAB). Continue reading →
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