Twenty-fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time
The Passion of Our Lord Predicted
Twenty-fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time
Reading 1: Wisdom 2:12, 17-20
Responsorial Psalm: Psalm: 54:3-4, 5, 6, and 8
Reading 2: James 3:16-4:3
Alleluia: Cf. 2 Thessalonians 2:14
Gospel: Mark 9:30-37
Normally I would split out each of the readings and reflect on them individually. But I am traveling and visiting my dad, and someone helped me to realize tonight that my laptop’s clock did not automatically change and so where I thought it was only 9:30 pm, it is really 10:30 pm. So, let’s dive in.
Today’s reading from Wisdom is a perfect outline of the events that would lead up to Jesus’ crucifixion. As Jesus was preaching for the three years of his ministry, he continually had run-ins with the Pharisees, Scribes, and Sadducees. And 100% of the time, they were left defeated by Jesus.
Let us lie in wait for the righteous one, because he is annoying to us;
he opposes our actions,
Reproaches us for transgressions of the law
and charges us with violations of our training
Wisdom 2:12
We see the text in Wisdom 2:17-20 come to fulfillment when the Jewish leaders are standing at the foot of the cross. Crucifixion was a humiliating form of torture and death. While for the sake of modesty in our movies, television, and churches, the ones being crucified have on loin clothes, but in reality, they were crucified naked. Men and women both were nailed and tied naked to the cross with signs around their necks detailing their crimes. We see the Jewish leaders taunting Jesus to come down from the cross if he were truly the Messiah.
Jesus echoes this in the gospel reading and this is his second prediction of his impending passion. In this passage, Jesus also gives each of the disciples a lesson in humility. On the way to Capernaum, they had been arguing about who would be first among them. He overhears the conversation and questions them about it, and they are embarrassed and do not answer. He then takes a child and sets the child among them. He says to them,
“Whoever receives one child such as this in my name, receives me; and whoever receives me, receives not me but the One who sent me.”
Mark 9:37
Jesus firstly tells the disciples that they need to set their egos aside in Mark 9:35. He then gives them the example based on the faith of a little child. A child believes because the child has been taught by their parents the faith. A child does not have a deep knowledge of theology and philosophy, but instead their faith built upon what has been passed down to them. It is a simple faith.
So, as we go about our day let us remember that Jesus died for us. His death brought about our means of salvation. His death was foretold by the prophets and accomplished by the Jewish leaders and through the Romans that occupied Israel. It was a humiliating and excruciating death that he knew was coming and he accepted and experienced it anyways.
Let us also remember that we need to be humble and have a simple faith, like that of a child. While religious study and knowledge are great to learn, in the end, Jesus simply wants us to be with him and worship him.
Let us call to mind the earliest prayers that we were taught, either as children or maybe those that have come in through the Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults or Children
Our Father
Our Father, Who art in heaven,
Hallowed be Thy Name.
Thy Kingdom come.
Thy Will be done,
on earth as it is in Heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our trespasses,
as we forgive those who trespass against us.
And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil. Amen.
Hail Mary
Hail Mary,
Full of Grace,
The Lord is with thee.
Blessed art thou among women,
and blessed is the fruit
of thy womb, Jesus.
Holy Mary,
Mother of God,
pray for us sinners now,
and at the hour of our death.
Amen.
The Glory Be
Glory be to the Father,
and to the Son,
and to the Holy Spirit.
As it was in the beginning,
is now,
and ever shall be,
world without end.
Amen.
Meditation music: