{"id":2667,"date":"2018-10-21T11:45:18","date_gmt":"2018-10-21T15:45:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blog.renewaloffaith.org\/blog\/?p=2667"},"modified":"2018-10-21T11:46:55","modified_gmt":"2018-10-21T15:46:55","slug":"29th-sunday-in-ordinary-time-year-b-homily-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blog.renewaloffaith.org\/blog\/29th-sunday-in-ordinary-time-year-b-homily-2\/","title":{"rendered":"29th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year B – Homily"},"content":{"rendered":"

29th<\/sup> Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year B<\/a>
\nIsaiah 53:10-11
\nPsalm 33:4-5, 18-19, 20, 22 (22)
\nHebrews 4:14-16
\nMark 10:35-45
\nOctober 21, 2018<\/p>\n

When I talked last week about attachments and things we might need to let go of, I mentioned awards.\u00a0 There is nothing wrong with awards themselves but if we do something just to get an award, we might be prideful.<\/p>\n

Today we have James and John seeking places of honor, and not just any honor but to sit on Jesus\u2019 right and left in his glory.\u00a0 They seek the highest places of honor.\u00a0 This is a bold request on their part.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen the ten heard this, they became indignant at James and John<\/em>.\u201d\u00a0 \u00a0Of course, one might ask if the ten \u201cbecame indignant<\/em>\u201d because they realize this is pride, and, thus, sin or are they are upset because they want the places of honor for themselves?<\/p>\n

What would make James and John so bold to make this request?\u00a0 For one, they do seem to have a \u201cspecial\u201d status with Jesus.\u00a0 It was Peter, James, and John who were the only ones to see Jesus\u2019 transfigured.\u00a0 This would still be pride.<\/p>\n

One might ask if they really know what they are asking.\u00a0 Remember, they were expecting a messiah who would be a great political king and restore the earthly kingdom of Israel.\u00a0 They see Jesus as that king.<\/p>\n

Knowing this is what they are thinking, Jesus said to them, \u201cYou do not know what you are asking.\u00a0 Can you drink the cup that I drink or be baptized with the baptism with which I am baptized?<\/em>\u201d\u00a0 Still not understanding, they respond \u201cWe can<\/em>.\u201d<\/p>\n

When Jesus speaks of his baptism, they are probably thinking of his baptism in the Jordan by John the Baptist.\u00a0 They also probably just take Jesus\u2019 question about drinking the cup at face value.\u00a0 However, when Jesus speaks of drinking the cup, he is speaking of the cup of his blood of his sacrifice at his Crucifixion.\u00a0 His act of dying in his Crucifixion is the baptism to which Jesus is referring.<\/p>\n

So, in effect, Jesus is asking James and John are they willing to suffer as he will suffer in his Passion.\u00a0 He has told them about his coming Passion three things but they have yet to understand.<\/p>\n

They look for places of honor where others might serve them.\u00a0 That is not the way Jesus means for it to be.\u00a0 \u201cRather, whoever wishes to be great among you will be your servant.<\/em>\u201d\u00a0 Jesus himself is the perfect example of this, \u201cFor the Son of Man did not come to be served but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many.<\/em>\u201d<\/p>\n

We too are called to conform our will to God\u2019s.\u00a0 This means being willing to make sacrifices in serving others.<\/p>\n

This Sunday we celebrate \u201cWorld Mission Sunday.\u201d\u00a0 When we think of missions, we might tend to think of people going to other places.\u00a0 We are invited to support the young mission dioceses in Africa, Asia, the Pacific Islands, and beyond through our prayers and our second collection today.<\/p>\n

Our Catholic Church has a long history of missions including to our own United States before we were a nation of our own.\u00a0 Our Catholic Church was also a major player in the development of the early hospitals and universities.\u00a0 These are just some of the ways we are called as Catholics to serve the needs of others.<\/p>\n

Notice I said, \u201cwe<\/em><\/strong> are called.\u201d\u00a0 While we might think of missions to foreign lands and the work of hospitals and universities is for those with the proper training, we are all called to serve others and lead them to Christ.<\/p>\n

It can be the parents who put their lives on hold to be there for their children\u2019s activities and to teach them to be good people.\u00a0 It can be the people who work the Community Food Closet to serve the hungry.\u00a0 There are those help women in pregnancy and caring for the child after it is born.<\/p>\n

It might even require real sacrifice on our part.\u00a0 How might some suffering on our part help others?\u00a0 The suffering might be not taking as much vacation.\u00a0 Instead we give the money we would have spent to charity and use the vacation time to volunteer in serving others.<\/p>\n

Accepting suffering can also be an opportunity to be a good Christian witness to the suffering Jesus went through for us on the Cross.<\/p>\n

James and John looked for places of honor at Jesus\u2019 side.\u00a0 He called them to serve.\u00a0 What are you looking for?<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

29th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year B Isaiah 53:10-11 Psalm 33:4-5, 18-19, 20, 22 (22) Hebrews 4:14-16 Mark 10:35-45 October 21, 2018 When I talked last week about attachments and things we might need to let go of, I mentioned awards.\u00a0 There is nothing wrong with awards themselves but if we do something just to …<\/p>\n

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