To serve and not to be served

Twenty-ninth Sunday in Ordinary Time

Id-29 Ħadd matul is-Sena

Messalin  B p 492

Reading 1          

Isaiah 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.  This is the Word of the Lord.

L-Ewwel Qari

Qari mill-Ktieb tal-Profeta Isaija 53, 10-11

Il-Mulej għoġbu jgħakksu bil-mard. Jekk joffri ruħu b'sagrifiċċju ta' riparazzjoni, huwa għad jara nisel u jtawwal jiemu; u r-rieda tal-Mulej isseħħ bih. Wara t-tbatija tiegħu għad jara d-dawl, jixba' bit-tagħrif tiegħu. Il-ġust jiġġustifika lill-qaddej tiegħu quddiem  il-kotra, u l-ħażen tagħhom jitgħabba bih hu. Il-Kelma tal-Mulej

Responsorial Psalm            

PSALM 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/

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/

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/

Salm Responsorjali                                                                

Salm 32 (33)

R/     Ħa tkun,   Mulej,  it-tjieba tiegħek fuqna, kif fik hi t-tama tagħna.

Sewwa hi l-kelma tal-Mulej,

kollox bil- fedelta' huwa  għamel;

Hu jħobb id-drit u s-sewwa;

bit-tjieba tal-Mulej mimlija l-art.                  R/

Ara, għajnejn il-Mulej fuq dawk li jibżgħu minnu,

fuq dawk li jittamaw fit-tjieba tiegħu.

Biex jeħilsilhom mill-mewt ħajjithom,

u jaħjihom fi żmien il-ġuħ.                        R/

Ruħna tixxennaq għall-Mulej,

hu l-għajnuna u t-tarka tagħna,

Ħa tkun, Mulej, it-tjieba tiegħek fuqna,

kif fik hi t-tama tagħna.                           R/

Reading 2                        

Hebrews 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. This is the Word of the Lord.

It-Tieni Qari                           

mill-Ittra lill-Lhud 4, 14-16

Ħuti,  meta aħna għandna l-qassis il-kbir, li hu tassew kbir, qassis li daħal fis-smewwiet, Ġesu' Bin Alla, ħa nżommu sħiħa l-fidi tagħna u nistqarruha. Għax aħna ma għandniex qassis il-kbir li ma jistax jagħder in-nuqqas ta' ħila tagħna, imma għandna wieħed li kien imġarrab  bħalna f'kollox, minbarra d-dnub. Ħa nersqu, mela, b'qalbna qawwija lejn it-tron tal-grazzja, biex naqilgħu ħniena u nsibu f'waqtha l-grazzja li neħtieġu. Il-Kelma tal-Mulej

Gospel             

Mark 10:35-45

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. Father, 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."  This is the Word of the Lord.

L-Evanġelju

Qari skond San Mark 10, 35-46

F'dak iż-żmien, (Ġakbu u Ġwanni, ulied Żebedew, resqu lejn lejh u qalulu: "Mgħallem, dak li se nitolbuk irriduk tagħtihulna." "Xi triduni nagħmlilkom?" staqsiehom. U huma weġbuh:  "Ħallina noqogħdu wieħed fuq il-lemin tiegħek u l-ieħor fuq  ix-xellug fil-glorja tiegħek." Imma Ġesu' qalilhom:  "Ma tafux x'intom titolbu. Għandkom ħila tixorbu l-kalċi li se nixrob jien, u titgħammdu bil-magħmudija li biha se nitgħammed jien?" "Għandna", qalulu. Imbagħad  qalilhom Ġesu': "Il-kalċi li se nixrob jien tixorbuh, iva, u titgħammdu ukoll bil-magħmudija li biha se nitgħammed jien;    imma li wieħed joqgħod fuq il-lemin u x-xellug tiegħi, din mhix ħaġa tiegħi li nagħtiha jien, imma hi għal dawk li għalihom kienet imħejjija." Il-għaxra l-oħra, meta semgħu dan, saħnu għal Ġakbu u għal Ġwanni.) Imma Ġesu' sejħilhom  u qalilhom: "Tafu intom, dawk in-nies li l-bnedmin igħodduhom bħala  kapijiet tal-pagani, jaħkmu fuqhom, u l-kbarat tagħhom iħaddmu s-setgħa tagħhom fuqhom.  Fostkom ma għandux ikun hekk, imma min irid ikun kbir fostkom, għandu jkun qaddej tagħkom, u min irid ikun l-ewwel fostkom, għandu joqgħod ilsir ta' kulħadd.  Għax hekk  ukoll Bin il-bniedem, hu ma ġiex biex ikun moqdi, imma biex jaqdi u biex jagħti ħajtu b'fidwa għall-kotra."Il-Kelma tal-Mulej

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 Christ and the Priesthood       A reflection by Fr. Thomas Rosica, CSB

The readings for the 29th Sunday in Ordinary Time of Cycle B invite us to prayerfully consider the priesthood and priestly ministry. The first reading is the passage of Isaiah's mysterious suffering servant who takes upon himself the people's iniquity (Isaiah 53:2-11).

The second reading speaks of Christ the high priest, tried in every way like us but sin, and the Gospel passage speaks of the Son of Man who has come to give his life in ransom for many (Mark 10:35-45.) These three passages bring to light a fundamental aspect of the heart of priestly ministry and one that we celebrate together as God's people in the Eucharistic mystery.

Knowing that many priests around the world are reading these reflections each week, I offer these thoughts on the priesthood that are particularly inspired by the second readings from this Sunday and next Sunday (Hebrews 4:14-16 and 5:1-5).

Isaiah's mysterious servant

First, allow me to offer a brief thought on Sunday's reading from the prophet Isaiah (53:10-11). Isaiah's mysterious figure of the "suffering servant" is not only a sign of God's love for us, but he also represents all human beings before God.

Only God appreciated his servant's true greatness. Because he suffered, he was regarded as a sinner and therefore as one to be spurned. Because the servant fulfilled the divine will by suffering for the sins of others, the servant will be rewarded by the Lord.

Jesus, our great High Priest

In the letter to the Hebrews 4:14-16, the author calls Jesus a great high priest (v 14). Jesus has been tested in every way, yet without sin (v 15); this indicates an acquaintance with the tradition of Jesus' temptations, not only at the beginning (as in 1:13) but throughout his public life (cf Luke 22:28). The similarity of Hebrews 4:16 to Hebrews 10:19-22 indicates that the author is thinking of our confident access to God, made possible by the priestly work of Jesus. Jesus' entire life is steeped in the Scriptures of Israel and he lived and acted out of God's Word.

Our "great high priest" is Jesus, the Child of Bethlehem who becomes the "Ecce Homo" of Jerusalem, not one distant from us and our condition, but he is the one who sympathizes with us, for he has experienced our weakness and pain, even our temptations (Hebrews 4:14-15). We must ask ourselves: Are we priestly people like he was? Do we live for others? Is the world any less violent, any less hostile, any more merciful, patient, kind and just, because of us?

In his very memorable and ever valid 1975 apostolic exhortation "Evangelii Nuntiandi" (On Evangelization in the Modern World), Pope St Paul VI rightly noted: "Modern man listens more willingly to witnesses than to teachers, and if he does listen to teachers, it is because they are witnesses."

Lest we experience emptiness, and the effectiveness of our ministry be compromised, we need to constantly ask ourselves: Are we truly inhabited by the Word of God? Is that Word truly the nourishment we live by, even more than bread and the things of this world? Do we really know that Word? Do we love it? Do we act upon it? Are we deeply engaged with this Word to the point that it really leaves a mark on our lives, shapes our thinking, and motivates and inspires others to act?

Can you drink this cup?

In Sunday's Gospel, Jesus asks the enigmatic question: "Can you drink the cup that I drink or be baptized with the baptism with which I am baptized?" (Mark 10:38-40): the metaphor of drinking the cup is used in the Old Testament to refer to acceptance of the destiny assigned by God.

In Jesus' case, this involves divine judgment on sin that Jesus the innocent one is to expiate on behalf of the guilty (Mark 14:24; Isaiah 53:5). His baptism is to be his crucifixion and death for the salvation of the human race. The request of James and John for a share in the glory (Mark 10:35-37) must of necessity involve a share in Jesus' sufferings, the endurance of tribulation and suffering for the gospel (Mark 10:39). The authority of assigning places of honor in the kingdom is reserved to God (Mark 10:40).

Whatever authority is to be exercised by the disciples must, like that of Jesus, be transformed into service to others (Mark 10:45) rather than for personal aggrandizement (Mark 10:42-44). The service of Jesus is his passion and death for the sins of the human race (Mark 10:45).

Sunday's Gospel passage concludes with one of the most important Gospel sayings that indicates Jesus' messianic mission: "For the Son of Man did not come to be served but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many."

Jesus did not come into the world seeking personal gain, privilege or prestige. Rather, he came for service, and this entailed giving his life up as a ransom.

The Old Testament never explained how God could "pay a price" for his people. Only in the passion, suffering and death of his only Son does the price become clear. We become capable of salvation only by offering our flesh and blood.

All of the sinfulness and evil in the world around us must be borne on our shoulders and in our own flesh. In this way, we share the pain in our own flesh and bones, making it part of our very selves just as Jesus did. For as St. Paul tells us in his second letter to the Corinthian community: "He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him (2 Cor. 5:21).

Difficult times

As priestly shepherds, we are given a share in arduous and awesome duties in difficult and trying times. We are ordained to gather God's people, to boldly proclaim the Word of the Lord, to baptize, to celebrate the breaking of the Bread, and to constantly give thanks to God for so many gifts.

We are also commissioned to assist those in need and to rouse generosity to the poor. Our ordained ministry demands that we lead by wholehearted example.

Nevertheless we remain unworthy servants, yet sent to do the work of Christ. Who of us can ever be worthy of such a great calling? As human beings, we priests can err, but the priestly gestures we carry out at the altar or in the confessional, are not invalid or ineffective because of our weakness and sinfulness.

God's people and ours are not deprived of divine grace because of our own unworthiness. After all it is Christ who baptizes, celebrates, reconciles and forgives; the priest is only the instrument.

Only if we are servant shepherds who suffer will people be stung by Jesus' call to tend one another, and to wash the feet of the world. Only if we allow our own hearts to be broken over and over again, in joyful service of God's people, will we be effective priests and good shepherds to the Lord's people.

It is this broken, wounded heart that lies at the heart of authentic ministry and shepherding today in the Church. Not a heart broken in a state of despair, but one opened in loving embrace to the world […] a broken heart that leads to ultimate joy because we have given it all to God and made place for the entire world in our own hearts.

Jesus is the perfect priest who burns, spends and consumes himself gladly for his brothers and sisters; one who lays down his life for others. The suffering servant of the Lord lives in union, communion and sympathy with the entire human family. Just as the Son of Man did not come to be served but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many, so must it be for us.

Above and beyond eloquent words in homilies and written texts, we must know Christ and love him. Our friendship with him will be contagious to our contemporaries, and others might recognize the Lord's nobility, beauty and greatness though our faces, our smiles, our hands, our feet, our heart and our weaknesses. We cannot forget that people will fall in the love with the Lord in spite of us, and hopefully because of us.

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