Saturday, October 17, 2015

Authority given to the anointed is embraced as service to others than private enrichment


October 18, 2015 

Twenty-ninth Sunday in Ordinary Time - Year B 


Readings    


10(But 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.

11Because 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. 


4For the LORD’s word is upright; all His works are trustworthy. 5He loves justice and right. The earth is full of the mercy of the LORD.

18Behold, the eye of the LORD is upon those who fear him, upon those who count on His mercy, 19To deliver their soul from death, and to keep them alive through famine. 20Our soul waits for the LORD, He is our help and shield. 22May your mercy, LORD, be upon us; as we put our hope in you. 


14Therefore, 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. 15For 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. 16 So let us confidently approach the throne of grace to receive mercy and to find grace for timely help. 


35Then James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came to Him and said to Him, "Teacher, we want you to do for us whatever we ask of you." 36He replied, "What do you wish (me) to do for you?" 37They answered Him, "Grant that in your glory we may sit one at your right and the other at your left." 

38Jesus 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?" 39They 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; 40but to sit at my right or at my left is not mine to give but is for those for whom it has been prepared." 

41When the ten heard this, they became indignant at James and John. 

42Jesus 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. 43But it shall not be so among you. Rather, whoever wishes to be great among you will be your servant; 44whoever wishes to be first among you will be the slave of all. 45For the Son of Man did not come to be served but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many."


Notes on Readings:

A). Isaiah 53:10-12 - Because He accomplished the divine will by suffering for the sins of others, the Servant has received a reward from the Lord. See the light: enjoy happiness. This line may originally have read, "he shall drink and eat to the full" - at the thanksgiving sacrifice at which he shall divide the spoils (53:12).

B). Hebrew 4:14-16 - These verses, which return to the theme first sounded in Hebrews 2:173:1, serve as a foreword to the section that follows. The author here alone calls Jesus a great high priest (Hebrews 4:14), a title used by Philo for the Logos; conceivably he does so in order to highlight Jesus' ascendancy over the Jewish high priest. He has been tested in every way, yet without sin (Hebrews 4:15); this denotes an acquaintance with the custom of Jesus' temptations, not only at the start (as in Mark 1:13) but throughout his public life (compare with Luke 22;28). Although the reign of the exalted, Jesus is a theme that takes place elsewhere in Hebrews, and Jesus' throne is pointed out in Hebrews 1:8 , the throne of grace (Hebrews 4:16 refers to the throne of God. The parallel of Hebrews 4:16 to Hebrews 10:19-22 denotes that the author is reflecting of human’s confident access to God, made workable by the priestly work of Jesus.

C). Mark 10:38-40 - Can you drink the cup . . . I am baptized?: the metaphor of drinking the cup is used in the Old Testament to emphasize acceptance of the destiny assigned by God; see the footnote on Psalm 11:6. In Jesus' case, this means divine judgment on transgression that Jesus the blameless one is to recompense on behalf of the culpable (Mark 14:24);  Isaiah 53:5. His baptism is to be His crucifixion and death to save human race; compare with Luke 12:50. The request of James and John for a share in the glory (Mark 10:35-37) must of necessity involve a share in Jesus' agony, the fortitude of pain and suffering for the gospel (Mark 10:39). The authority of dispensing places of honor in the kingdom is reserved to God (Mark 10:40).

D). Mark 10:42-45 - Whatever authority is to be put in effect by the disciples must, like that of Jesus, be taken as service to others (Mark 10:45) rather than for personal enhancement (Mark 10:42-44). Jesus’ service is His passion and death for the sins of the human race (Mark 10:45) ; compare with Mark 14:24;  Isaiah 53:11-12;  Matthew 26:28 ; Luke 22:19-20.


Reference:  New American Bible

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Dear Humanity,

I personally encourage everyone to emulate JESUS' values on LOVE, FAITH, HOPE
and CHARITY, as the humanity has been a failure; which resulted to the more than two (2) years of pandemic and its after-effects on economy, not only here in the Philippines but worldwide.

And the saddest part of it, is that, it affected the POOREST of the POOR to even extremely be more poorer, in exchange of the affluent to be more richer.

Thank you and may GOD bless you and the whole family to have an enjoyed life's journey at home, Church, schools/universities, corporate commitments, public and places of interest.