31st Sunday in Ordinary Time

The episode from today's gospel is one of the few occasions that we see Jesus and someone from the Jewish establishment having a mutual and civil conversation. Jesus sets us an example in his willingness to dialogue Both parties to the exchange find common ground and Jesus relies to the scribe saying: "You are not far from the kingdom of God." (Mk 12: 34) As believers we need to follow the advice: "Always be ready to make your defense to anyone who demands from you an accounting for the hope that is in you, yet do it with gentleness and reverence." (1 Pt 3: 15-16) It is interesting to see though that: "After that no one dared to ask Jesus any question." (Mk 12: 34) It appears that the onlookers wanted not to learn or discuss religious matters but wanted to have a verbal brawl. Jesus by acting in such an open and reasonable manner was clearly not going to provide them with more sport. As a man from Galilee and the reputed son of a carpenter he should have been easy to defeat but they could not better him in debate. No wonder they got angry!

30th Sunday in Ordinary Time

The healing of Bartimaeus, I think, can be relate to the healing of the blind man at Bethsaida (Mk 8: 22-26). In the latter the man is brought by friends to Jesus and has his sight gradually restored. After this he is told to go home and not to even enter the village. Bartimaeus, by contrast, cries out on his own initiative and refuses to be ignored. He comes to Jesus and after requesting to be able to "see again" is immediately cured and follows Jesus "on the way." "On the way" is a marker for discipleship but it is also the way of the triumphal entry into Jerusalem and the Passion which follow on from the story. Between the two episodes there is a block of teaching about what it means to be a disciple. The metaphor of vision can be applied to all those in the Markan community who have an inadequate understanding of what discipleship means. Like the man at Bethsaida, many are brought by others to the faith and only gradually receive an understanding of it. The attitude of Bartimaeus, who throws of his cloak and humbly asks to be able to see, contrasted with the inadequacy of the Apostles as they squabble about status, is to be emulated. Catholics today can sometimes be dazzled by the glorious artistic and liturgical heritage of the past when the Church seemed to be so much more impressive. The way of suffering and the Cross, St Mark would tell us, is the mark of true discipleship.

29th Sunday in Ordinary Time

I think that we are so accustomed to the idea of Christ bringing about our salvation through the Cross that we forget, to a worldly way of thinking, how weird it is. The First Reading shows us how the prophecy of Isaiah of the Suffering Servant meant that this idea already existed in the Jewish religion yet St Paul found that the idea of the Messiah dying on the Cross was preposterous to the Jews: "For Jews demand signs and Greeks desire wisdom, but we proclaim Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles..." (1 Cor 1: 22-23). Even in his own ministry, he had to explain to his flock how despite all his failures and imprisonments the power of Christ was still at work in him and in those who conformed to Christ. This was even the case when his prayers were not answered: "Three times I appealed to the Lord about this, that it would leave me, but he said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for power is made perfect in weakness.' So, I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me. Therefore I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities for the sake of Christ; for whenever I am weak, then I am strong." (2 Cor 12: 8-10) When we look at the Gospel for today can we recognize in ourselves the desire to lord it over others? Are we striving to compete for recognition or influence in our parishes and communities or are we genuinely looking to be of service by making available to others our gifts and charisms? The temptation to rule over others is always there as it was in the temptations in the desert at the start of Jesus' earthly ministry: "Again the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendour; and he said to him, 'All these I will give to you, if you will fall down and worship me'." (Mtt 4: 8-9) That is not what we, as clergy and faithful laity, should aspire to: "But it is not so among you; whoever wishes to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wishes to be first among you must be slave of all. For the Son of Man came not o be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many." (Mk 10: 42-45) 

28th Sunday in Ordinary Time

The story of the rich, young man is one of my favorites from the Gospel according to Mark. The young man, who has probably inherited his wealth, thinks that he can likewise inherit eternal life. How does one inherit something? Usually, it is because you are family. When the young man asks "what must I do" he is effectively asking to be adopted. Jesus responds with a list of commandments and the young man, who kept these from his youth, still feels dissatisfied. What must it have been like for someone to have Jesus look and them and love them! However, then comes the challenge: "You lack one thing; go, sell what you own, and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; then come, follow me." (Mk 10: 21) In order to aspire to true sonship the rich young man will need to become one of the poor ones, the anawim, whose only hope is in God and his fatherly, providential care. In other words he must imitate Jesus himself who trusts implicitly and absolutely in the love of the Father: "... who, though he was in the form of God, did not regard equality with God as something to be exploited, but emptied himself, taking the form of a slave, being born in human likeness. And being found in human form, he humbled himself and became obedient to the point of death - even death on the cross." (Phil 2: 6-8) Such is the way of children as we heard in the gospel from last Sunday: "Truly I tell you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God as a little child will never enter it." (Mk 10: 15) The rich young man: "was shocked and went away grieving." (Mk 10: 28) To grieve is to have lost something or to have someone we love die. The rich young man has the illusions of his own righteousness shattered. He is also confronted with his attachment to earthly possessions that prevents him from experiencing true intimacy with God. The challenge for each one of us is to know whether we control our possessions or do they "possess" us. Let us not be afraid to ask the question and to experience Jesus' loving gaze as he transforms us by his love and enables us, by his grace, to use what we have for others and thus become true children of our heavenly Father.