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