SUNDAY- 26^th WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME –B

I Reading: Number 11:25-29: Moses elects the seventy elders

II Reading: James 5:1-6: James condemns the oppressive rich

Gospel: Mark 9:38-43,45,47-48: “You must not stop him…anyone who is not against us is for us.”

There are different types of histories. Today’s first reading and the gospel talk about the salvation history of humankind. God saved the Israelites through patriarchs, his messengers like Moses and the seventy elders, prophets, kings so on in the Old Testament.

Jesus is the New Moses in the New Testament appointed the twelve disciples to be with him and to be sent out to proclaim the good news and gave them his power and authority to cast out devils and sent out the seventy others and many followers to continue his mission to establish the kingdom of God to save the humankind.

The salvation history of Jesus still carries on through the succession of the Pope, bishops, priests, and the catechists and the believers. The spirit of God can be given to anyone apart from his disciples or followers; so let us not feel jealous of others’ inspiring work whereas Joshua in the first reading and John in the gospel were not able to accept the power and spirit of God working through other people. So the power of God is not only in the church but also to anyone whom God endows him/her.

God wants everyone to be saved so He sent His own beloved Son Jesus Christ to save us all from sin and death. St James warns against the rich for their greediness which becomes the obstacle to enter the kingdom of God.  Jesus is very harsh to the sinful acts in today’s gospel which prevent a person to enter into heaven. Being the baptized Christians, believers and followers of Jesus Christ let us try to commit ourselves totally for the salvation of humankind doing good works and glorification of God on this earth.

Thought: Joshua was jealous of Eldad and Medad who were given the spirit of God and they were prophesying in the camp as an ordinary person and John was also jealous about the outside person who was casting out devils in the name of Jesus. The second sin in the Bible was the sin of jealousy; Cain killed his brother Abel. 

John the Baptist was not jealous about Jesus rather he said, let him increase and let me decrease and I am not worthy to untie his sandals. We need humility and total commitment and obedience to the commandments of God and try to do God’s plan and mission with his spirit and power.

God can choose anyone from any walk of life or place and can give His power and spirit to carry out his work. Thus the spirit of the Lord is not only based on the religious or appointed or consecrated persons or chosen ones or baptized Christians or in the church alone but to all whom God wants.

We should not abuse the power, authority, position, wisdom, wealth and riches for our selfishness and worldly life. God endows us with His power and wisdom to save the people of God.

www.believeinthegoodnews.blogspot.com

 

 SUNDAY- 25^th WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME –B

I Reading: Wisdom 2:12.17-20: Let us condemn him to a shameful death.

II Reading: James 3:16-4:3: Peacemakers, when they work for peace, saw the seeds which will bear fruit in holiness.

Gospel: Mark 9:30-37: The Son of Man will be delivered. If anyone wants to be first, he must make himself servant of all.

The Second Prediction of Death:

Intensive Training in the Death of Christ, 9:30-32

The thrust of this passage is the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Jesus drilled the truth of His death and resurrection into His disciples. It is absolutely essential that every person grasp the death and resurrection of Jesus.

1. The preparation: Jesus got along his disciples (v.30)

2. The lesson: Jesus taught his disciples that he was to die and arise (v.31)

3. The response: The disciples rejected what they did not wish to see

The Disciples’ Terrible Ignorance of Messiahship:

A Problem of Ambition, 9:33-37

The disciples were thinking that who would hold the highest position (for recognition and position) in the kingdom of Jesus. It is nice to have a good ambition for the highest gifts or good or service.

Hence, we must make a choice between good ambition and bad ambition. The good ambition is doing God’s way or His plan/will with humility and obedience at the service of the highest good of the community. We achieve this goal through selfless service, commitment, hardship, suffering even unto death is the path way to God’s glory. Jesus saved us through his passion, death and resurrection for the greater glory of God and salvation of humankind.

1. Jesus returned to Capernaum (v.33)

a. The disciples argued

b. Jesus questioned what they were arguing about

2. Ambition can shame (v.34)

3. Ambition needs instruction (v.35)

4. Ambition is a virtue, but it must be directed toward the right goal: to serve (v.35)

5. Ambition for service proves a person’s discipleship (36-37)

a. The Illustration: welcoming a child

b. The lesson: proves one’s discipleship

          1) Proves one has received Christ

          2) proves one has received God

Thought: Ambition that leads to argument and division is wrong. It must be based on service and highest gifts.

www.believeinthegoodnews.blogspot.com

  

SUNDAY- 24^th  WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME –B

Gospel: Mark 8:27-35: You are the Christ. The Son of Man is destined to suffer grievously.

I Reading: Isaiah 50:5-9: I offered my back to those who struck me.

II Reading: James 2:14-18: If good works do not go with faith, it is quite dead.

The Great Confession of Peter: Who Jesus is, Mk 8:27-30

The first reading and the gospel explain about the suffering servant. In the second reading St James assets that faith without works is dead. In the gospel Jesus predicts about his suffering, passion, death and resurrection; and he encourages his disciples or followers to follow his way by renouncing oneself and taking up his own cross. The passage further discovers the identity of Jesus. Who is Jesus? Jesus is the Christ and the Son of God, the suffering servant and the saviour of the world.

Jesus deliberately set out to make sure that the disciples saw Him as God’s Messiah and not man’s Messiah and a way of power and pleasure. He had to make sure they understood God’s way of salvation and plan that God was after victory over death and a life that lasted eternally, not just for seventy or so many years.

The present passage is one of the most dramatic revelations ever made and the most demanding questions ever asked. The answer given determines one’s eternal destiny and requires a single answer: “You are the Christ.”

1. Jesus in Caesarea Philipi (v.27):

The Greek God of nature is PAN, the God being called PANIAS. Herod the Great had built the temple in the worship of Caesar. Herod’s son Philip adorned the temple with the magnificence for which it was known worldwide. It was Philip who changed the name of the city from Panias to Caesarea and added his own name-calling the city Caesarea Philipi. It was against this background of religion Jesus asked the question, “who do people say I am? Who do you say I am?” and Peter made is great discovery and confession: Jesus is the Christ, the real Messiah.

a. He visited the village

b. He questioned the people’s belief about himself

2. The confession of men: He is a great man like: John the Baptist, Elijah and one of the prophets (v.28)

3. The confession of his disciples: He is the Christ, the true Messiah, Son of the living God (v.29)

4. The need: To learn about God’s Messiah (v.30)

Thought: Confession is just the beginning of our spiritual journey. We must be accurate in what we study and we must we accurate in what we share, making certain that we share the truth.

www.believeinthegoodnews.blogspot.com

 23^rd Sunday in Ordinary Time-B

I Reading: Isaiah 35:4-7: Isaiah rejoices in the hope of Israel’s return from exile. Among the first to enjoy the blessings of restoration will be those who are deaf or dumb, blind or lame.

II Reading: James 2:1-5: James points out the contradiction of believing in Christ yet treating those who are poor as inferior.

Gospel: Mark 7:31-37: The miracle reflects the first reading and is a sign that Jesus fulfills the Old Testament prophesies about the coming of the Messiah.

Today’s three readings express the messianic act of Jesus as the Son of God.

Let us reflect upon two questions:

Why is God so attached to the needy, poor and suffering people? Because of their strong faith in God and total dependency upon God’s providence and blessings.

What must we do to follow Jesus Christ or the message of the gospel? We must love Jesus with our whole heart, mind and strength and love our neighbors as ourselves. Preferential option for the poor, sinners, and outcastes or marginalized in the society.

The Verdict Sought for One’s Service: Doing Everything Well, Mk 7:31-37

The verdict Christ wants to be pronounced upon every human is, “He has done everything well” (Mk 7:37). “Well done you good and faithful servant” (Mt 25:21). How can we be assured of such a verdict by God? Jesus shows us how in this passage.

1. He looks after his own personal needs and the needs of his loved ones (the disciples (v.31)

2. He listened to the pleas of the people for help (v.32)

3. He was considerate of the feelings and conditions of others (v.33)

4. He trusted God for power (v.34-35)

5. He sought no personal applause or praise of people (v.36)

6. He demanded a verdict: “He has done everything well” (v.37)

 

Thought: The source of the man’s healing was Jesus. Therefore believers must use everything at their disposal to proclaim Jesus as the source of People’s deliverance (salvation).

The miracle was two things:

1) It was proof that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God himself. Isaiah had predicted such miracles of the Messiah (Is 35:5-6; Lk 4:18-19,21; Acts 10:38).

2) It was demonstration of tender consideration for the needs and feelings of others-a strong lesson for every believer (Mt 20:28; Jn 20:21; Heb 13:3).

We cannot understand God’s plan unless He reveals to us. Only the Spirit can help us to understand God’s plans of love for us; only He can give us the strength to follow Christ.

www.believeinthegoodnews.blogspot.com