31st Sunday in Ordinary Time B. Nov. 3, 2024

31^st Sunday in Ordinary Time B. Nov. 3, 2024

Deuteronomy 6:2-6; Hebrews 7:23-28; Mark 12:28-34

 

Theme: “You are not far from the kingdom of God.”

On November 1^st, we celebrated the solemnity of All Saints, and one day later, on November 2^nd, we commemorated All Souls. During the first celebration, we unite ourselves with all Saints, hoping to become saints one day. And in the second, we unite ourselves with our loved ones who have gone before us, showing our continued love for them and hoping to see and meet them one day when our earthly lives end. Thus, the liturgy of this Sunday Mass teaches us what we need to do now if we want to be called the “Saints” and to meet again our departed brothers and sisters in heaven one day. We must fear the Lord and keep his statutes and commandments, as Moses reminds his fellow chosen people in our first reading. In the Gospel, Jesus commands us to love God with all our hearts, souls, minds, and strengths and also love our neighbors as we love ourselves. And the author of our second reading reminds us that Jesus saves all those who go to God through him. Let us always go to Jesus through the Sacraments and prayer, especially in the Eucharistic celebrations, where we listen to him in the Scripture and receive him in the Holy Communion.  

Our Gospel passage comes immediately after the Question about the Resurrection the Sadducees asked Jesus (12:18-27), and it precedes the two short stories: Question about David’s Son (12:35-37) and Jesus Denouncing the Scribes (12:38-40). The dispute between the Jewish religious leaders and Jesus is the context of today’s Gospel story. This dispute started when Jesus drove out the people who were selling and buying in the temple area. The chief priests and Scribes, being furious, started organizing themselves to find ways to put Jesus to death (Mark 11:15-19). One day, These Jewish religious leaders met Jesus in the temple area again and questioned his authority. This means they did not believe that his authority came from God (11:27-33). In his response, Jesus told them the parable of the Tenants (Matthew, who recounts the same controversy, recorded three parables in a row: the parables of the Two Sons [Mt 21:28-32], Tenants [Mt 21:33-43], and that of the Wedding Feast [Mt 22:1-14]) in which he revealed to them that because they do not believe in him, the kingdom of God was being taken away from them and being given to tax collectors, prostitutes, and sinners, who believed in him and repented. The reaction of the Jewish religious leaders was to entrap Jesus with questions so they could (1) find legal reasons to accuse him and have him condemned and (2) they could ridicule him in public so the Jewish population would dislike him. Like Matthew, Mark lines up a series of three questions. The first question came from the unholy alliance of the Pharisees and Herodians. They asked Jesus whether paying the census taxes to Ceasar was lawful. The trap was that if Jesus said yes, it was lawful, all his fellow Jews would turn him down; and if he said no, it was not lawful, the Herodians, who were the collaborators of the Roman authorities, would accuse him to the Romans and have him arrested and condemned. But Jesus defeated them in his response: “Repay to Caesar what belongs to Caesar and God what belongs to God.” (Mark 12:13-17).

The second question came from the Sadducees. They do not believe in the resurrection of the dead. They made up a story in which a woman, by Moses’s law, ended up marrying seven brothers because all of them died without giving her a child. Their question to Jesus was to find out whose wife this woman would be in the resurrection of the dead. They intended to make the belief in the resurrection of the dead ridiculous and consequently embarrass Jesus in public. But Jesus silenced them in his answer. Jesus demonstrated that their question is absurd because (1) quoting the story of the Burning Bush, where God revealed to Moses that “I am the God of Abraham, [the] God of Isaac, and [the] God of Jacob,” Jesus showed that since Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob died long ago and if they are not living in heaven, God would have said to Moses, “I was God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.” Instead, God says, “I am,” to mean they live in heaven. So, God is not the God of the dead but the living. This is to confirm that there is the resurrection of the dead. (2) The elects have eternal life in heaven, so marriage is unnecessary (Mark 12:18-27).

The third question came from one of the scribes, whom the Pharisees chose to represent them according to the context of Matthew’s version. This is our Gospel story. The objective is the same: to shame Jesus in public and have the Jewish population dislike him.

Our Gospel text is a narrative story. It can be structured as follows: The scribe's question in v. 28 can be considered an introduction. Vv. 29-34a is the body of the text. It contains two movements: (1) Jesus’ answer (vv. 29-31), and (2) the scribe’s appreciation for Jesus’ wise answer and Jesus' comment on the scribe for his excellent understanding (vv. 32-34a). V, 34b, the narrator’s final comments, concludes our story and the series of trapping questions.

Mark begins this story by mentioning that the scribes who asked Jesus the question witnessed the previous controversies between Jesus and his predecessors (the unholy alliance of the Pharisees and Herodians and the Sadducees) and admired how well Jesus had answered them. Mark does not specify the nature of his admiration for Jesus. Perhaps his esteem for Jesus is that since Jesus defeated his predecessors and escaped their traps two times, he needs to demonstrate his ability and come up with a complicated tripping question so as not to fail like them. His question is this: “Which is the first of all the commandments?” (V.28).

While the question of the scholar of the law (scribe) is to find out just the first of all the commandments, Jesus gives him two commandments instead. He says, “The first is this: ‘Hear, O Israel! The Lord our God is Lord alone! You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.’ The second is this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.” (Vv. 29-31). Jesus took the first commandment from the book of Deuteronomy, the passage we heard in our first reading. Moses presented his fellow Israelites with the commandments, statutes, and ordinances to observe in the promised land they were about to enter. Moses said, “Hear, O Israel! The Lord is our God, the Lord alone! Therefore, you shall love the Lord, your God, with your whole heart, and with your whole being, and with your whole strength.” (Deuteronomy 6:4-5). Mark reworded it. He replaced “being” with “mind,” and he added “soul.” The second commandment, the love of neighbor, is found in Leviticus 19:18.   

The scribe’s question really means this: looking at the entire corpus of Jewish law, which law gives coherence to all the rest? Which law from which all others flow and draw their validity? The trap is that for all Jews, there is not one law that can be the greatest because all laws are essential. In his answer, Jesus says, the first commandment is the one that says, God is the only Lord and that all people must love him with their entire heart and soul and mind and strength. For Jesus, this law is the greatest because it gives coherence to all the rest. Every law is meant to encourage the love of Yahweh. Their God. To this first law, Jesus joins the second, which is the love of neighbor. Therefore, the entire corpus of the Jewish law must encourage the love of God and the love of neighbor.

Let us try to analyze these two greatest commandments. We start with the love of God. What it means to love God with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength. (1) The Greek word for heart is kardia; it can be understood as the seat of emotions or affections. So, when Jesus commands us to love God with all of our hearts, he asks us to cultivate our affection and emotional attachment to him. (2) The “soul” is our spiritual nature. Then, to love God with all our souls means that we need to seek spiritual union with him, a personal relationship with God, and intentional discipleship. (3) The “mind” (in Greek, dianoia) is an intellectual endeavor. So, loving God with all our minds involves intellectual knowledge. Hence, the Church encourages us to study the Bible to understand what we believe to be true. I invite you to attend my virtual Liturgical Weekly Bible Study on Sunday Mass readings (for more information about my Bible Study Classes, email me at nganduleon2001@yahoo.fr.) (4) The “strength” is omitted in Matthew’s version. It alludes to physical energy. We should use our physical strength and energy to love our God.

Second, next to the first commandment, Jesus adds a second one: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” A neighbor is not just someone who lives next door. Instead, neighbors in the biblical context include our brothers and sisters around us and far from us who need our spiritual, emotional, material, and financial help. Next to the love of God and neighbor, there is a third love that many of us do not pay attention to when we read this passage. It is “as you love yourself” attached to the love of a neighbor. The model for the love for our neighbors is the love for ourselves. One cannot love others if the person does not love himself or herself. To love oneself means being capable of forgiving oneself, reconciling with oneself, and giving oneself a second chance. Once we love ourselves, we can do the same for our neighbors.

Unlike the Pharisees, Herodians, and Sadducees, who preceded him in this series of trapping questions to Jesus, the scribe responds favorably and acknowledges Jesus’ wise answer. For this, Jesus praises and tells him, “You are not far from the kingdom of God.” (V. 34). I chose this statement of Jesus as the theme for my reflection because it contains the main lesson our Holy Mother Church teaches us today. For Jesus, the scribe makes one step closer to the kingdom of God by acknowledging and understanding that all commandments must promote and encourage the love of God and the love of neighbor. He is closer but not yet in the kingdom of God. What remains to him to be in God’s kingdom, then? Now, he needs to recognize that the Lord, the God of Israel, the first commandment talks about, has come in the person of Jesus himself. Therefore, the statement to “love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your souls, all your mind, and all your strength” now means that he should love Jesus with that same total commitment, believe in him, follow him, and start a personal relationship with him. There is a similarity with the story of the Rich Man Mark told previously (Mk 10:17-31). The rich man, who wanted to know what he could do to inherit eternal life, claimed to have observed all the commandments from his youth. Jesus loved him, as he did with the scribe of our Gospel, and told him to do one more thing he lacked: to abandon his possessions to start a relationship with Jesus and become his disciple. Unfortunately, he went his way sad because he loved his wealth more than discipleship.

The Church teaches us that knowing God’s commandments and the Church’s precepts is good; observing them is even much better. However, when we know and observe the commandments alone without discipleship, we are close to the kingdom of God but not yet in. To inherit eternal life, we are called to a further step, which is to follow Jesus and begin a personal relationship with him. It is not logical to think that we can go to heaven by just living a good life but without a personal relationship with Jesus. Note that in heaven, we will be in intimate communion with Christ. So, it does not make sense that we want to go there, and in the meantime, we reject Jesus, who is God himself, who has taken flesh and lives among us. Thus, to love our Lord with all our hearts, souls, minds, and strengths means to love Jesus, who is “God-with-us.” Failing to love Jesus like this is a failing to observe the greatest of the commandments. And failing to keep the greatest of the commandments is failing to inherit eternal life in the kingdom of God.

As we want to become saints and meet our loved ones in heaven one day (see the solemnity of All Saints and the commemoration of All Souls we celebrated on November 1^st and 2^nd,) today’s liturgy reminds us to love Jesus, who is God in the flesh, with all our hearts, souls, minds, and strength, and love our neighbors as we love ourselves. Let us come to Jesus because, as our second reading tells us, he is able to save those who approach God through him since he lives forever to make intercession for us. Amen.  

Rev. Leon Ngandu, SVD

  

30th Sunday in Ordinary Time B. October 27, 2024

 30^th Sunday in Ordinary Time B. October 27, 2024

Jeremiah 31:7-9; Hebrews 5:1-6; Mark 10:46-52

Theme: What Discipleship Entails

In our first reading, Jeremiah prophesizes to the remnant of Israel that one day, God will bring them back from their exile in Babylon to their land. The author of our second reading points out that Jesus is the high priest forever appointed by God to sacrifice his life to forgive our sins. In the Gospel, Jesus is at the end of his long trip to Jerusalem, where he will be sacrificed on the cross to save us from the exile of sins, fulfilling what is said in our first and second readings. We need Jesus to open our spiritual eyes as he did with the blind man Bartimaeus in our Gospel so that we might see his Passion, Death, and Resurrection as the Paschal Mystery of our salvation and to learn from Bartimaeus what discipleship entails.  

It is with purpose Mark placed our Gospel passage immediately before the story of Jesus’ Entry into Jerusalem (11:1-11) and after the stories such as the three predictions of Jesus’ Passion (Mk 8:31-38; 9:30-37; 10:32-45), the Blessing of the Children (10:13-16) and the Rich Man (10:17-31). With Bartimaeus calling Jesus “Son of David,” Mark prepares his readers for Jesus’ messianic entry into Jerusalem, where the crowds will cry out, “Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Blessed is the kingdom of our father David that is to come! Hosanna in the highest!” (10:9-10). The healing of Bartimaeus’ eyes starkly contrasts the spiritual blindness of Jesus’ disciples, who, even though Jesus announced his Passion to them three times, could not see Jesus’ cross as the way to salvation. The people who rebuked Bartimaeus, preventing him from coming to Jesus, echo the disciples who rebuked the children not to go to Jesus (see 10:13-16). The rich man could not give up his riches and follow Jesus (see 10:17-31), but Bartimaeus throws aside his cloak, representing the only valuable thing a poor can have, and follows Jesus with joy. In brief, through Bartimaeus’ story, Mark teaches his readers what discipleship involves.   

Our Gospel text is a narrative story through which Mark teaches his readers what discipleship entails. Discipleship is a determination to initiate a personal encounter with Jesus through prayer. (46-47). It entails perseverance in prayer. It requires using spiritual ears, as Jesus did, to hear the people of God who are in need (v. 49a). It is becoming Jesus’ mediators who tell people, encourage them, and help them to go to God and start their personal relationships with him (v. 49b).  Discipleship requires getting rid of anything (sins and possessions) that obstructs the personal relationship with God (v. 50). Discipleship is following Jesus not temporarily but permanently (v.52).  

(1) Discipleship entails a determination to initiate an encounter with Jesus through prayer. The narrator depicts Jesus’ disciples and the large crowd in movement, walking on the road and following Jesus, who leaves Jericho and is heading to Jerusalem, where his Passion, Death, and Resurrection will occur. He describes Bartimaeus as a blind man and beggar who is not moving or walking on the road like the crowds but is seated by the roadside. Eventually, he hears the crowd's noises and learns that Jesus is passing by. He decides to initiate an encounter with him. Due to his lower social status and being poor and blind, crying out to catch Jesus’ attention is his only option. Crying out here stands for prayer. So, Bartimaeus uses prayer to initiate his encounter with Jesus. In his prayer, Bartimaeus calls Jesus using Jesus’ divine title: “Son of David.” The Son of David is the king the Jews were waiting for to come and rule once more over the Twelve Tribes of Israel. In the story of Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem, which immediately follows our story, the crowds welcomed Jesus under this Davidic title: “Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Blessed is the kingdom of our father David that is to come! Hosanna in the highest!” (Mark 11:9-10). So, by calling Jesus “Son of David,” Bartimaeus confesses his faith that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of David, who comes in the name of the Lord to redeem the world. This part of the Gospel teaches us that we must be determined to initiate our encounter with God through prayer. To be Jesus’ disciples means we must be the men and women of prayer. Our prayers must demonstrate our faith in Jesus as the Son of God who willingly sacrificed his life on the cross to save the world.

(2) Discipleship entails perseverance. Many people rebuke Bartimaeus and force him to be silent. Rebuking here involves physical and verbal abuse. I guess these people used words such as “Be silent, you stupid! You do not realize that Jesus is far away from you, and with all these noises, he can never hear you. Just shut up.”  But the more the people rebuke him, the more he cries out to catch Jesus’ attention. The louder the crowd’s noise is, stifling his vocal prayer, the louder he cries out. The more he realizes that Jesus is far from him (as Jesus and all people are moving forward) and he is seated by the roadside, not moving at all, the more he persists in calling. Here, our Holy Mother Church teaches us that discipleship entails perseverance in our prayer to God. These crowds who rebuked and silenced Bartimaeus stand for people around us or far from us who do not love us and situations such as illnesses and unemployment, which we face daily. All sufferings we go through can constitute obstructions to our discipleship. In this part of the Gospel, our Holy Mother Church teaches us not to relinquish our relationships with God no matter what we face. The more we realize that people or difficult situations try to force us to disconnect from God, the more we must reinforce our prayer life to stay connected to Jesus.

(3) Discipleship involves using spiritual ears, as Jesus did, to hear people in need. Considering the crowds’ noise, the distance between Bartimaeus and Jesus, and the people's rebuking and silencing Bartimaeus, there is no way that Jesus hears the vocal cries of this blind man. However, Mark tells us that Jesus heard, stopped, and ordered the people to call Bartimaeus to come to him (v.49a). Jesus did not use his physical ears but his heart to hear Bartimaeus’ prayer. There are many people around us and abroad who cry out every day for different needs. If we use our physical ears, we cannot hear them. The Church exhorts us to imitate Jesus and use our hearts to hear and assist them. Parents are called to use their hearts to hear and discern their children's concerns and help them accordingly. Spouses should use the love from their hearts to hear each other’s needs. Let us use our hearts to hear what God speaks to us and observe them. To be Jesus’ disciple involves hearing people’s cries and God’s calls from our hearts.

(4) Discipleship is telling people, encouraging them, and helping them to go to God and start their personal relationship with him. Jesus commands the people to call Bartimaeus to come to him. Can we imagine if the people Jesus asked to call Bartimaeus were the same who rebuked and silenced him before? Jesus continues to command us today to call the “Bartimaeus” of our time to go to him, including those we “rebuke” or do not get along. Pay attention to the three words the people in our Gospel employed to call Bartimaeus: “Take courage; get up, [Jesus] is calling you.” (V. 49b). First, “Take courage.” Our blind man must have been tired as he kept calling out amid the noisy crowds. The first word to him must necessarily be the encouraging one, “Take courage.” We have our brothers and sisters in our families, parishes, neighborhoods, and societies weakened by the different trials they go through daily. Let us minister to them with words of encouragement.

Second, “Get up.” The narrator already told us that Bartimaeus was seated by the roadside, not walking (see v. 46.) The seating position explains that because of his blindness, he could not see the road. Consequently, he could not walk alone like everybody. So, by asking him to get up, the people probably held his hands and helped him to get up and stand on his feet. In the spiritual sense, people who are not in a one-on-one relationship with God are spiritually blind and “seated by the roadside” since they cannot see and walk on the road that leads to eternal salvation. The Church reminds us here that our mission is to help this kind of people to get up and start moving spiritually. As long as they remain seated spiritually, they will never reach their destination, which is the kingdom of heaven. We must help them to get up and start “walking on the spiritual road” by accepting God’s call.

Third, “[Jesus] is calling you.” Bartimaeus did not personally hear Jesus calling him. The people in the crowd let him know that Jesus heard his cries and was calling him.  Jesus continues to use us as mediators between him and our brothers and sisters. Likewise, he uses our fellow humans as intermediaries between him and us. As Jesus’ disciples, our mission is to bring Jesus’ words of love and calling to our brothers and sisters, letting them know that Jesus loves and calls them. Likewise, let us accept our fellow humans who bring God’s Word to us and remind us that God loves and calls us.   

(5) Discipleship entails removing everything that prevents us from following Jesus. When Bartimaeus learned that Jesus was calling him, he did three things: He threw aside his cloak, sprang up, and went to Jesus. “Cloak” can have two interpretations. First, it stands for sins; second, it represents the only valuable thing a poor could have in Jesus’ time. “Springing up” is the expression of joy. And “coming to Jesus” is the positive response to Jesus’ call. So, here, Mark informs his readers and us that Bartimaeus said Yes to Jesus’ call. Before he went to him, he abandoned all his sins and riches, which could prevent him from “springing up,” expressing his joy when coming to and following Jesus. In the story of the Rich Man, Mark narrated previously (see Mark 10:17-31,) we saw how the rich man walked away being sad because he could not do what Bartimaeus did here in our Gospel passage, giving up all his possessions as a condition to follow Jesus. From our baptism, we are all called to follow Jesus. The Church reminds us to learn from Bartimaeus and do the three things he did: Let us “throw aside our cloak” of sins and any possessions that prevent us from “springing up” when we go to Church (especially on Sundays) and when we follow Jesus by practicing charity works. Discipleship entails conversion and following Jesus with joy.

(6) Discipleship means following Jesus not temporarily but permanently. Bartimaeus arrived when Jesus was. The conversation starts. Although Jesus knew what Bartimaeus needed, he still asked him to tell him what he wanted him to do for him. This means God knows our minds and hearts but still waits for us to tell him what we need. This is what prayer is about. The blind men did not ask for money or possessions to be rich; instead, he asked for the sight: “Master, I want to see.’ (V. 51). “To see” is all this blind man needs. What does he want to see exactly? Well! He wants to see the road of Jerusalem, which leads to the Paschal Mystery of our salvation, so he can also walk on it. Jesus heals him and gives him an option to go his way. However, he did not go anywhere except following Jesus on the road, meaning he became his permanent disciple. This last part of our Gospel story teaches us always to ask Jesus to open our spiritual eyes to see Jesus’s Passion and Death culminate in his glorious Resurrection. We also want to see how our calling as Baptized Christians is the way of the cross that leads to eternal salvation. To be Jesus’ disciples is a commitment to follow him not temporarily but permanently.

May the liturgy of this Mass open our eyes to see and accept that discipleship entails a constant prayer life even amid sufferings, using our hearts to hear people’s cries, and becoming Jesus’ mediators who encourage people to go to God. May this Eucharistic celebration open our eyes to abandon anything that prevents us from following Jesus permanently and enthusiastically. May the Word of God we heard and the Holy Communion we will share soon enable us to see and accept that discipleship is the way of the cross that leads to eternal salvation. Amen.

    Rev. Leon Ngandu, SVD

29th Sunday in Ordinary Time B. October 20, 2024

29^th Sunday in Ordinary Time B. October 20, 2024

Isaiah 53:10-11; Hebrews 4:14-16; Mark 10:35-45

 

Theme: We, Christian Missionaries, are Called to be the “Servants” and “Slaves” of All

Today is World Mission Sunday. In prayer, we remember all missionary women and men who preach and live God’s Word worldwide. From our baptism, we all are missionaries as we are called to carry out the mission of the Church. Today’s Scripture readings teach us that to be disciples or Christian missionaries, we must be the “servants” and “slaves” of all. In our first reading, Isaiah prophesies about a servant who will suffer and give his life to justify many and bear their iniquities. Our second reading reminds us that Jesus was tested in every way, yet without sin. In the Gospel, Jesus teaches his disciples and us the condition for discipleship or missionary life: To be the “servants’ and “slaves” of all.

Today’s Gospel passage and the Third Prediction of Jesus’ Passion (10:32-34) form one literary unit. Mark places it between the story of the Rich Man (10:17-31), which we heard last Sunday, and that of the Blind Bartimaeus (10:46-52), which we will read next Sunday. The context is that Jesus and his disciples are on the journey to Jerusalem, where Jesus will suffer his Passion and death and will resurrect after three days. In Mark 10:32-34, the passage that comes immediately before our Gospel story, Jesus announces these three events (his Passion, Death, and Resurrection) to his disciples for the third time. Then, in our Gospel passage, he prepares them to understand the conditions for discipleship. Note that in the Gospel of Mark (also in Matthew), Jesus announced to his disciples his Passion, Death, and Resurrection three times on their journey to Jerusalem. All three stories follow the same pattern. (1) Jesus announces his Passion, Death, and Resurrection; (2) his disciples react by objecting or misunderstanding him or ignoring him; (3) Jesus teaches them a lesson based on their reactions.

Our Gospel text is a narrative story structured in two distinct movements. The first movement captures the dialogue between Jesus and the two sons of Zebedee about their request (vv. 35-40). The second movement is Jesus' teaching to all disciples regarding the conditions for discipleship (vv. 41-45).

The first movement of our story commences with an utterly open-ended demand from James and John: “Teacher, we want you to do for us whatever we ask of you.” (v.35). This demand is their reaction to what their Master had previously told them. Jesus announced to his disciples privately that in Jerusalem, where they were going, he would be handed over to the chief priests and the scribes, condemned to death, but after three days, he would rise (vv. 32-34). Our Gospel story picks up here. Upon hearing this, the two brothers come up with their request. In reply, Jesus says, “What do you wish me to do for you?” (v.36). This is a profound question. Humanly speaking, I believe Jesus expected these two disciples to tell him something like how they could help and support him in his distress or how they could prevent this tragedy from happening. James and John are not concerned about their Master’s suffering but about their future. They asked Jesus for privileged places in his glory. In his response, Jesus first explains to them that their request involves “drinking the cup” he drinks and “being baptized” with the baptism with which he is baptized. This means they must first accept the cross, which is the only way leading to the glory they request. Second, Jesus lets them know that he does not assign honored places in his glory since these places are “for those for whom it has been prepared.” (V. 40). This means the privileged places in Jesus’ glory are already assigned to those who, amid suffering, will remain his disciples until the end.

The disciples reveal their selfish motivation for discipleship. They have been following Jesus not for service but for reward. This first part of the Gospel is an interpellation to us, too. What are our motivations for following Jesus? We should not follow Jesus just for him to do us favors. We have accepted to be baptized (and to have our children baptized) not solely because we want to go to heaven but to become Christian missionaries where we live to help others go to heaven with us.

Jesus asks us, as he did to his disciples, “What do you wish me to do for you?” Instead of being selfish like James and John by asking for our own privilege in his glory, let our response show him our sympathy. Our response can be, for instance, “Lord, let us help you through many people around us who are distressed; Lord, tell us how we can assist your Church; Lord, show us how we can be good missionaries where we live.” The sacred author of our second reading tells us that Jesus’ glory is meaningful and accessible because he willingly accepted to sympathize with our weaknesses and to be tested in every way, yet without sin. In our turn, let us also sympathize with him, who shares his sorrow with us today by sympathizing, supporting, and assisting our brothers and sisters who go through a lot where we live.   

The second movement of our Gospel is Jesus’ teaching to all the group. James and John were not the only ones who did not sympathize with Jesus; the other ten also did not do. They became indignant at James and John because they, too, had the same ambitions. They were angry about why the two brothers requested only for themselves but not for the whole group. Jesus now delivers significant teachings on discipleship and service to all twelve disciples and us. He tells us that whatever authority we exercise must be rendered as a service, not for personal aggrandizement, but for others. In our missionary works, we must be the “servants” and “slaves” of all (vv. 42-44). He calls us to imitate the type of his authority: “[He] did not come to be served but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many.” (V.45).

May the liturgy of this Mass enable us to become the “servants” and “slaves” of all in our missionary work in our Churches, families, and wherever we live. Amen.   

   Rev. Leon Ngandu, SVD

SVD USS Biblical Apostolate Coordinator &

Retreat Center Director   

28th Sunday in Ordinary Time B. October 13, 2024

28^th Sunday in Ordinary Time B. October 13, 2024

Wisdom 7:7-11; Hebrews 4:12-13; Mark 10:17-30

 

Theme: Two Steps to Accomplish to Go To Heaven

We know that nobody lives eternally in this world. Everybody dies. We also believe that there is another life after death: either eternal life in God’s kingdom or eternal condemnation in hell. The Scripture readings today deal with eternal life in the heavenly kingdom. They tell us what we must do to go to heaven. In the Gospel, Jesus suggests two steps to go to heaven: First, we must follow God’s commandments, and second, we must give up any possessions and follow him. The first reading advises us to pray to God continuously for Wisdom; when we get it, we should prefer it above all other things. This Wisdom stands for our intimate relationship with God. Therefore, we should live in transparency in front of God because, as the second reading reminds us, no creature is concealed from him, but everything is naked and exposed to the eyes of God to whom we must render an account.

Today’s Gospel is followed by the stories of Jesus predicting his Passion for the third time and the ambition of James and John (10:32-45). Before our Gospel story, Jesus delivered three significant teachings. First, he strongly warned the people about the temptation to sin and called them to radical repentance lest they go into the unquenchable fire of Gehenna (hell) (see Mark 9:42-50). Second, he challenged married people to live the unity and love of the first creation for the entirety of their lives. Quoting the book of Genesis (Gn. 2:18-24), he demonstrated that God did not envisage divorce when he created the first man and woman. The person who divorces his spouse and marries another commits adultery (see Mark 10:1-12). Third, Jesus taught that the people will not enter the kingdom of heaven unless they accept it like the children (Mark 10:13-16). All these teachings of Jesus set up the context for our Gospel story. After hearing all of Jesus’ warnings and statements about eternal life in God’s kingdom and eternal condemnation in Gehenna, the rich man of our Gospel is interested to know what he needs to do specifically to avoid the unquenchable fire of hell and gain eternal life.

Our Gospel text is a narrative story with images. It can be structured into three parts. The first part is the dialogue between the rich man and Jesus regarding the rich man’s question about what he must do to inherit eternal life (vv.17-22). The second part recounts the dialogue between Jesus and the disciples regarding how difficult it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of God (vv.23-27). The third part discusses the disciples’ concern that Peter raises about what will happen to them, who left everything and followed Jesus (vv.28-31).   

The first part of our Gospel (vv. 17-22) is a dialogue between Jesus and the rich man. Mark first describes three significant actions the rich man did before he asked his question to Jesus. He runs up, kneels before Jesus, and calls him “Good teacher.” Running expresses how serious his quest for eternal life is. Kneeling before Jesus signifies his prayer of adoration. And by calling Jesus “Good,” this rich man confesses that Jesus is God because the word “Good” was reserved only for God. Jesus himself reveals it when he says, “Why do you call me good? No one is good but God alone.” Jesus does not deny his divine identity here, but in Mark’s Gospel, Jesus prefers to keep it secret (Messianic secret.) Through this introductory part, our Holy Mother Church teaches us that we should consider the quest for our eternal salvation seriously. She encourages us to always run to Jesus in prayer (especially the Mass), adoration of the Blessed Sacrament, confession, and other sacraments to discuss and prepare our eternal salvation.   

The rich man asks Jesus what he must do to avoid the unquenchable fire of hell and inherit eternal salvation in God’s kingdom. In his answer, Jesus suggests two steps to undertake. The first step is the observance of the commandments that refer to human relationships: ‘You shall not kill; you shall not commit adultery; you shall not steal; you shall not bear false witness; you shall not defraud; honor your father and your mother.” (Vv.19-20). The second step concerns the relationship with God, which consists of becoming Jesus’ disciple: “Go, sell what you have, and give to [the] poor and you will have treasure in heaven; then come, follow me.” (V.21). The rich man has no problem with the first step. From his youth, he has observed all of God’s commandments that refer to his duties to other people. Jesus loves him for being good with the first step. However, the rich man fails in the second step: his relationship with God. He cannot become Jesus’ follower because he is not ready to love Jesus above his possessions. Mark tells us that the face of this rich man fell as he walked away sad because he had many possessions.

This first part of the Gospel teaches us that we must undertake these two steps to inherit eternal life at the end of time. First, we must care for our relationships with our brothers and sisters by observing God’s commandments. We cannot pretend we love God if we are not in a good relationship with our fellow humans. First step first. Let us make an effort to observe God’s commandments daily and help our children observe these commandments from their youth age. When we do so, Jesus will love us the way he loved this rich man. Second, having good relationships with our fellow humans alone is not enough. It must be associated with our relationship with God, which requires us to become Jesus’ disciples. One condition for discipleship, as Jesus reminds us, is that we must sell what we have and give to the poor, and we will have treasure in heaven; then we come and follow him (see v. 21). Jesus does not ask us here to dispossess everything we have in order to follow him. Money is necessary to take care of our families and Church. Instead, Jesus wants us to exchange our transitory wealth for lasting treasure in heaven. He wants us to love him above all that we possess. Money, jobs, power, and all material goods we have cannot obstruct our discipleship. We need to pray to God constantly so that our love for Jesus and his Church must be our priority. This is what the author of the Book of Wisdom teaches us in today’s first reading. He tells us that he prayed to God and pleaded for the wisdom. Wisdom here stands for his relationship with God. He says he preferred wisdom to a scepter, throne, and riches. Gold and silver are sand and are to be accounted mire. He loves wisdom (his relationship with God) beyond health and beauty. He chose to have a relationship with God because its radiance never ceases. He affirms that wisdom did not come to him alone. It came with all good things and riches. We are called to prioritize our relationship with God and love it above all our possessions.

The second part of our Gospel (vv. 23-27) recounts the dialogue between Jesus and his disciples about how it is difficult for those who behave like this rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven. Like the rich man, the disciples also are sad about loving Jesus above all possessions as a condition of discipleship. They are amazed and exceedingly astonished to hear Jesus being against wealth. This is contrary to what they always believed. The Jews considered wealth to be a sign of God’s blessing. Moreover, since the observance of the Laws of Moses was mandatory and was considered the path to eternal salvation, and since most of these Mosaic laws were very expensive, and only the wealthy had the resources and leisure to fulfill them, the Jews believed that having possessions was a blessing because it allowed the people to follow the laws and, consequently, go to heaven. Yet, here, Jesus says that it is an obstacle to inherit the kingdom of heaven. This justifies the question the disciples ask among themselves, “Then who can be saved?” (V.26).

This second part of the Gospel teaches us again that Jesus is not against the rich people, nor does he say that having possessions is a sin. Instead, he warns his disciples and us about the danger possessions can cause. They can damage our relationship with God and prevent us from following Jesus when we do not use them properly. Many Christians today support the Church with their treasures but do not attend Masses regularly, and they are not yet Jesus’ disciples. Supporting the Church with what we possess is good, but it does not make any difference if we are not Jesus’ disciples. Possessions must support our discipleship and nurture our relationship with God.

The third part of our Gospel story (vv. 28-30) deals with the disciples’ concern that Peter raises. If the Jews considered wealth to be God’s blessing and the path to eternal salvation, and yet Jesus says that it is hard for those who have wealth to enter the kingdom of God, the disciples want now to know about them, who left everything and followed Jesus. What does Jesus have to say about their destiny? Their reflection is quite logical. In his answer, Jesus reassures them and us that they and all people today who have given up everything for his sake and the sake of the Gospel will not only receive eternal life in the age to come but will receive a hundred times more now in this present age. Here, Jesus wants to say that discipleship is already the manifestation of the heavenly kingdom on earth. When we, Christians, love Jesus above all our possessions and follow him, we already enjoy part of the eternal salvation in this present age and will enjoy it fully in the age to come.   

Our second reading tells us that the Word of God is living and effective, sharper than any two-edged sword. It can discern the reflections and thoughts of the heart. May this Eucharistic celebration enable us to accept and practice the Word of God we heard today. Amen.

Rev. Leon Ngandu, SVD

SVD USS Biblical Apostolate Coordinator &

Retreat Center Director

27th Sunday in Ordinary Time B. October 6, 2024

 27^th Sunday in Ordinary Time B. October 6, 2024

Genesis 2:18-24; Hebrews 2:9-11; Mark 10: 2-16

 

Theme: Oneness and Indissolubility in the Sacrament of Marriage

Today’s Scripture readings deal with Oneness and Indissolubility in the sacrament of Marriage. The Gospel and first readings say that God created a man and a woman not to be two but one flesh, and no human being must separate what God has joined together. Love, like that of Jesus described in our second reading, makes this indissolubility and oneness possible.

The context of our Gospel comes from a serious debate among the Pharisees concerning the reasons that justified divorce. Some schools (like the school of Shammai) were very restrictive and allowed divorce only for some grave reasons. While other schools (like the school of Hillel) permitted divorce for any reason whatsoever[1]. In our Gospel text, the Pharisees approached Jesus with this topic, testing him to see which point of view he would support. This Gospel story comes immediately after Jesus' strong teachings about the Temptation to Sin and the Simile of Salt. (9:42-50). It is followed by the story of the Rich Man who questioned Jesus to find out what he could do to inherit eternal life (10:17-31).

Our Gospel text is a narrative story. It can be structured into three parts. The first part is the dialogue between Jesus and the Pharisees on marriage and divorce. (vv. 1-9). The second part recounts the private dialogue between Jesus and his disciples in the house. They again discuss the same topic of divorce (vv. 10-12). In the third part, the dialogue shifts. It is now between Jesus and all people. The topic is the children and the kingdom of God (vv. 13-16).

The first part of our Gospel passage begins with the setting that the lectionary has omitted. Jesus and his disciples left Capernaum (Cf. 9:33) and went into the district of Judea across the Jordan. He taught the crowds who gathered around him (v. 1). Then, the Pharisees test Jesus with a question about marriage and divorce: “Is it lawful for a husband to divorce his wife?” (v. 2). Note that in the law of Moses, divorce is permitted: “Moses permitted a husband to write a bill of divorce and dismiss her.” Jesus recognizes this Mosaic law but tells them that it was because of the hardness of their hearts Moses wrote that commandment for them. He then teaches them and all of us today to consider marriage at its sacramental level. He refers to the story of the creation of the first ancestors, Adam and Eve, in the book of Genesis, which we heard in our first reading, to teach them the primary nature of marriage in God’s vision. He emphasizes two characteristics of marriage: Oneness and indissolubility. By stressing that God willed that the male shall leave his parents’ house to join his wife, and together, they become not two but one flesh (see Gn 2:24; Mk 10:6-8,) Jesus emphasizes “oneness” as the first characteristic of marriage. Jesus expresses the “Indissolubility of the sacrament of marriage in his concluding words, “What God has joined together, no human being must separate” (see Mk 10:9). Here, he demonstrates that God did not envisage divorce when he created Adam and Eve. He created them to be one flesh and to live this oneness for good. So, in the sacrament of marriage, husband and wife become one flesh and are called to live this oneness until they die.   

God created us to be in a perfect relationship with him and each other. The book of Genesis tells the stories (such as Adam and Eve, Cain and Able, the account of Noah and the Tower of Babel) to show us, on the one hand, how human beings failed to preserve this oneness through sins, and on the other hand, how God continuously came to their rescue. Today, we still fail to maintain our oneness with God in different ways, but God is always there to rescue us. Thus, when one man and one woman decide to live together in the sacrament of marriage, they resolve to live the oneness and love of the first creation. They accept to make visible the invisible love with which God loves his people. However, we know from experience that not all marriages reflect this ideal. For some reason, some marriages do not last. In the same way, when we receive baptism, we aim to live our relationship with God and others as in the first creation. But for some reason, we break this commitment. Note that the focus of Jesus in our Gospel story is not on “why the people divorce or why we sin” but on our effort to try to live our relationship with God as in the first creation. In other words, our everyday task as Christians (married couples, divorced, and single people) is to regain the primary nature God created us with.

The second part of our Gospel (vv. 10-12) recounts the private dialogue between Jesus and his disciples on this same topic. After he finishes dealing with the Pharisees, they return home. While in the house, the disciples question him about the same topic for further clarification. In his response, Jesus develops the indissolubility character of marriage. He says that whoever divorces his spouse and marries another commits adultery. Why does he or she commit adultery while he/she has already separated from his/her previous spouse before he/she started a new relationship with a new one? Note that for sexual intercourse to be considered adultery, it must be between a married person and a person who is not his or her spouse. So, in his response, Jesus affirms that divorce does not occur in the separation of spouses because valid marriage as a sacrament is indissoluble. That is why the Church teaches that whoever separates from his/her spouse remains legally and sacramentally married. He or she cannot contract another marriage unless the Church tribunal, after critical investigation, proves the invalidity of the sacramentality of the marriage and grants the couples “annulment.”  

The third part of our Gospel story (vv. 13-16) shifts the dialogue. Jesus now addresses all people. The topic is children and the kingdom of heaven. They are in one house (cf. v.10). The narrator says nothing about whom the house belongs. He reports that people brought their children so that Jesus could touch them. In this context, “to touch them” means to bless them. The disciples rebuked them. It is unclear if “them” represents children or parents or all parents and children. A couple of reasons can justify why the disciples acted like that. Perhaps the children were making noises, or parents created traffic in precipitating to get their children in the first line, causing discomfort in the house. It is a natural reflex for the disciples to rebuke them. We can imagine the noises and shouting the children bring in here. We act like these disciples when our youth make noises during Masses. Let us see Jesus’ reaction. Jesus takes this advantage to teach his listeners and us two crucial lessons concerning the children and the kingdom of heaven.

First, he asks his disciples and us not to prevent the children because “the kingdom of God belongs to such as these.” Should we not rebuke the children even when they disturb the liturgy of Masses? In one of the churches I pastored, there was a scenario involving two ladies. They were in severe conflict because the first lady wanted the second not to bring her grandchildren to Sunday Masses any longer as these two boys were making a lot of noise every Sunday, disturbing the whole congregation. I, the pastor, had to solve this issue. I just told the first lady that I myself was just like those two boys when I was their age. I imagine if my parents and our parish priest prevented me from attending Masses because of that, I would not be an active Christian, much less a priest, today. I, here, exhort the parish priests and ushers to find a perfect solution to this problem if it happens in their parishes. The liturgy of the Mass should not be disturbed, and the children should not be prevented from attending the celebration.     

Second, Jesus invites his audience and all of us (married, divorced, widowed, and single people) to embrace the heavenly kingdom as a child. “Whoever does not accept the kingdom of God like a child will not enter it.” Here, Jesus emphasizes the children’s characteristics. They are transparent and willing to admit when they have done wrong. They continue to love, trust, and hope even amidst uncertainties. Jesus exhorts us to live all these virtues to enter God’s kingdom. The divorced and widowed are called to imitate children and continue to love God, his Church, and God’s people even when their marriages did not last as they intended. All of us are encouraged to imitate children, continue to trust God, and hope for eternal life. For this, our second reading reassures us that Jesus tasted death for the salvation of everyone. So, regardless of our struggles today, we must keep our hope for eternal salvation in the heavenly kingdom.

Let us pray for each other during this Eucharistic celebration. We pray that all married couples continue to be “one flesh,” reflecting the oneness of the creation, and not envisage divorce. We pray also for those whose marriages did not last as they intended that they continue to feel the love of God in their lives. Those who accept remaining single for the entirety of their lives may continue to live oneness with the Church through their dedication and love for others. Let us all pray that we must accept God’s kingdom as a child and work hard to inherit it. Amen.

Rev. Leon Ngandu, SVD

SVD USS Biblical Apostolate Coordinator &

Retreat Center Director

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[1] John Bergsma, The Word of the Lord: Reflection on the Sunday Mass Readings for Year B (Steubenville, Ohio: Emmaus Road Publishing, 2021), 422.