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GOSPEL REFLECTIONS

THE SECOND SUNDAY OF ADVENT
Our scripture passage comes from the Gospel of Luke 3:1­–6. In this passage, we hear the preaching of John the Baptist who is sent to prepare the way for Jesus. He accomplishes this preparation through his ministry of repentance that levels mountains and fills valleys. In short, he is preparing a smooth road so God can enter people’s hearts and lives. That work of preparation is something we all need to experience and something we are all called to do for ourselves and for others.

The first thing to note about this passage is the very solemn introduction. This opening verse provides the context in which the Word of God comes to John the Baptist. Beyond its dramatic nature, this introduction is an indication that the preaching of John in the remote Judean wilderness will have a ripple effect that will reach every part of the world. Indeed, the message of Jesus will rattle the powers of Imperial Rome (see the reference to Tiberius Caesar in Lk 3:1). Likewise the ministry of Jesus will challenge the religious, cultural, and political influences of Judaism and Jerusalem (see the references to Herod, Pilate, and the High Priests in Lk 3:1-2). All of these references are telling us that the obscure ministry of John the Baptist is initiating a revolution the likes of which the world has never seen! Indeed, the Kingdom of God may have small beginnings (see the Parable of the Mustard Seed in Lk 13:18–19) but its power cannot be constrained or destroyed. The message of the Gospel will not only affect people’s hearts, it will also affect their worship, their politics, their market principles, their cultural practices, and so forth. From these small beginnings of John’s ministry will come the Church — the greatest transforming movement in world history.
 
How do people try to “constrain” the message of the Gospel today?

What influences in our society would be especially challenged by the message of the Gospel and how can you be the instrument of that challenge?

The Word of God is powerful and effective today even as it was in the life and ministry of John the Baptist.  When has a message of faith transformed your life in a revolutionary way?

What part of your life is waiting to be transformed by the Gospel and conformed to Jesus, and how can you open yourself to the Lord’s grace during this time of Advent?
 
In announcing the need for preparation, John draws upon the imagery of Isaiah 40:3–5 in which instructions are given for road workers to prepare a Royal Way for the Lord. Such preparation of travel routes was common in the ancient world and a way in which visiting kings were made to feel welcome. The people being visited would also beautify their homes and public buildings to make their city pleasing to the king in hopes that the king, in turn, might honor the citizens of that place.
As we grow up, it is often times our families who teach us how to be receptive and open to the experience of faith. Sometimes we also meet people who inspire us and make us want to imitate their good example and their relationship with God. Sometimes, too, we are blessed to have people placed in our lives who help to take off our rough edges by leveling our personal mountains of pride and who build us up by filling in our valleys of weakness. They are the people who love us enough to help us become the person God wants us to be.

Of interesting note, Luke is the only one of the four Gospels that includes this formative description of John’s ministry which is taken from the Prophet Isaiah 40:3–5. The work of reversing a disordered world is an important way in which Luke understands and presents the ministry of Jesus (see divine reversal in Lk 1:51–53, 13:30, 16:25, and 18:14).

Preparing people to meet the Lord is an important ministry for disciples today as well. John strongly taught that “all flesh shall see the salvation of God” (Lk 3:6) and that teaching would be fulfilled in the person of Jesus (remember that the name Jesus means “God Saves”). Jesus, Himself, is the salvation of God. This preparatory ministry of John was foretold in the prologue of Luke’s Gospel when Zechariah prophesied saying, “and you my child shall be called the prophet of the Most High for you shall go before the Lord to prepare his way; to give his people knowledge of salvation by the forgiveness of their sins” (see Lk 1:75-77).

Indeed, God will visit His people in the person of Jesus and we must be prepared and waiting for that visitation so we can recognize it, receive it, and respond to it. Luke will tell us about moments when people both recognize God’s visitation (see Lk 7:16) and moments when people don’t recognize it (see Lk 19:41-44). In order to respond faithfully to God’s visitation in our lives, we must learn to remove the obstacles and impediments of sin, spiritual blindness, and weakening deafness that often times impede our faith. This preparation appropriately takes place in the desert where we remove distractions and noise so we can hear the Lord speak to us in moments of prayer and inspiration. This experience of the desert always leads us to the Jordan river where we accept the invitation to deeper relationship with the Lord through sacramental grace (Baptism). The following quote from Sr. Wendy Beckett is an excellent Advent encouragement to foster both interior and exterior silence in your life during this time of preparation: 
 
It makes me happy to know … that as you journey your deepest preoccupation is to listen to his voice: This is my Son, the Beloved, listen to him — God’s most passionate desire, his sole command.

He can only speak in proportion to our desire to listen, and sometimes all we want to hear, all we are prepared to listen to, are the big major inspirations. Yet he is always speaking. Awareness of his voice in whatever happens depends, again, solely on desire. But equally, love, I don’t think one hears “false voices” unless one chooses.

We may not hear all he says, we may shut our ears to his undertones, but nothing “false” in this — merely inadequate. As our love grows, our capacity to hear grows, and we learn that “obey” and “hear” are the same scriptural verb. You do know how to listen; and it does need exterior silence.[1]

What parts of your life do you think God considers most beautiful?

What parts does God want you to change?

If Jesus stepped into our world today, what disordered part of our culture would He reverse?

Who has most helped to shape you into a Christian man or woman?

What are some of the misplaced priorities (mountains) in your own life that need to be re-ordered so as to conform to the Gospel?

What are some of the weaknesses (valleys) that need to be strengthened so you can be a better disciple?
Who needs you to assist them in becoming a better disciple?

How do you create exterior and interior silence in your life so you can hear God’s voice speaking to you?

How can you remove the weakening deafness and sinful blindness that prevents you from hearing and seeing God’s visitation in your life?

Who is someone you know that needs to meet the Lord and how can you help prepare them for that experience?
 
John carried out his ministry of preaching and baptizing in the desert for another reason as well. The desert is the place where God first formed His people as they followed Moses for forty years. Now John goes there to prepare a new people for Jesus. This preparation happens through baptism, repentance, and the forgiveness of sins. In baptism, John is leading the people through the waters of the Jordan in a definitive act by which they leave behind their former lives and begin a new life as members of God’s people. In repentance, John is teaching them to re-think their lives and to see things from God’s perspective. In the forgiveness of sins, John is setting the people free from their past failures and absolving their guilt so they can move forward in freedom.
 
Which of these three aspects of John’s ministry appeals to you the most?

What can you do this Advent season to experience more deeply these graces of new beginning, repentance, and forgiveness?
 
Luke is telling us something else very important in this passage and it is a message that he communicates in an unintentional way. Specifically, Luke makes a mistake in his Gospel when he tells us that the word of God came to John during the “high priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas” (see Lk 3:2). This joint high priesthood was not a historical reality since there was only one high priest at a time and Annas served from 6-15 AD while Caiaphas served from 18-36. Luke has other errors in his Gospel as well. These errors are visible in his incomplete understanding of Jewish Temple rituals  (see Lk 2:22 where we are erroneously told that the Holy Family went to Jerusalem for “their” purification), geography (see Lk 17:11 where Luke has Jesus passing in an east and west direction when our Lord actually must go from north to south) as well other areas of the Gospel. While these errors do not affect the saving message of the Gospel, they do teach us an important truth of discipleship.

Namely,  Luke is telling us (perhaps unintentionally) that disciples don’t have to wait until they are perfect in knowledge or proven in skills to tell others about Jesus. Errors in his Gospel reveal that Luke himself did not have perfect knowledge of all the historical, geographical, and religious facts yet that lack of perfect knowledge didn’t stop him from communicating what he did know about Jesus. This should be true for us as well. Sometimes disciples can think that they have to wait until they are perfect, or credentialed, or commissioned before they share the message of Jesus with others. These are not only false expectations but they are also paralyzing expectations! We might even say that such expectations are actually deceptions. The Gospel may never be proclaimed if we wait until we have perfect knowledge, proven skills or credentialed certification. Disciples are called to share their experience of Jesus as authentically as they can and not to fear the unintentional and insignificant mistakes they may make in that proclamation. While we should try our best, we should not be impeded by imperfection.

This message is important for us because God can work with our human limitations and errors in such a way that He can accomplish His work of salvation through us nonetheless. This readiness to witness the Gospel for others is only possible when we are generous, docile and vulnerable. Jesus doesn’t ask us to be perfect; He just asks us to say yes to Him and be His witnesses in the world. We should always be confident that the Lord can awaken the gift of faith in others despite our imperfect and even erroneous proclamation.

Luke’s example of eagerness to share the message of Jesus should encourage us to do the same and not procrastinate under the false excuse that we’re not ready.
 
What excuses prevent you from sharing the Gospel with others?

How does the example of Luke inspire you?

The fear of insufficiency and incompetency can paralyze a disciple; when do you experience these fears in your faith life?

Who needs to hear the message of Jesus from you during this Advent time and what is holding you back from sharing the gift of faith with them?
 
Lastly, we should consider what it means that John even quoted Isaiah in the first place. This quote is telling us that John understood his life and ministry through the writings of scripture. This faithful interpretation of his life would not have been possible if John had not known the scriptures and prayed over them extensively. The ability to see our lives from God’s perspective is a spiritual grace and one of the gifts of the Holy Spirit described as knowledge and understanding. It is the Holy Spirit that shares with us the mind of Christ (see 1 Cor 2:16).

Without access to the mind of Christ through the Holy Spirit and knowledge of scripture, we can become self-defining and fail to grasp the hidden plan of God unfolding in our lives. That is why the prayerful study and reading of Scripture is so important for an authentic Christian life. The spiritual practice of prayerfully reading the Scriptures is called Lectio Divina and allows us to enter deeply into the heart and mind of Christ. It is only when we reflect on our lives through the person of Jesus that we can experience profound hope, peace, and spiritual consolation.

During this time of Advent, take a few moments to learn more about Lectio Divina and how it can help you grow in your relationship with Jesus. The author Thelma Hall has written an excellent resource that can help you learn more about this spiritual practice and it is entitled Too Deep for Words: Rediscovering Lectio Divina (Paulist Press, 1988).

You may also want to take time during Advent to consider how God’s grace has been present and active in your life in ways that you have previously overlooked. This faithful retrospection can be a source of healing for past hurts as well as peace in the present and trusting confidence in the future. Advent is a great time to experience this graced awareness of God’s redemptive and saving presence in our lives so that we, too, can know the Lord’s salvation which was the motivation for John’s ministry. An excellent Advent resource that can help you gain this awareness was written by Wilfrid Stinissen and is entitled, Father, Into Your Hands:  Abandoning Ourselves to the God who Loves Us (Ignatius Press, 2011).
 
When was the last time you read a quality book to deepen your spiritual life?

How could you benefit from a deeper relationship with Jesus and a greater knowledge of the Scriptures?

What are some past experiences of your life that you would like to see and understand from God’s perspective so as to better understand how God was loving you even in those moments?

John the Baptist understood his life and ministry through the Prophet Isaiah. If you were to choose a scripture passage that expressed your life and helped you understand your mission, what would it be?

How would it help your prayer each day to understand your life reflected in the Scriptures?
 
Blessing of St. Therese of Lisieux
May today there be peace within.
May you trust God that you are 
exactly where you are meant to be.

May you not forget the infinite
possibilities that are born of faith.

May you use those gifts that you
have received, and pass on the love
that has been given to you.

May you be content knowing you
are a child of God.

Let this presence settle into your 
bones, and allow your soul the 
freedom to sing, dance, praise and love.

It is there for each and every one of us.
Amen.
 
[1] Beckett, Wendy. “Hearing the Word of God and Acting on It.”  Excerpt from Spiritual Letters (London, U.K.:  Bloomsbury Continuum, an Imprint of Bloomsbury Publishing Plc. , 2013).
Lateran Baptistry, Interior Wide Angle. By Kent Wang – Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=143485952
Luke 3:1-6

In the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar, 
when Pontius Pilate was governor of Judea, 
and Herod was tetrarch of Galilee,
and his brother Philip tetrarch of the region
of Ituraea and Trachonitis, 
and Lysanias was tetrarch of Abilene, 
during the high priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas, 
the word of God came to John the son of Zechariah in the desert.
John went throughout the whole region of the Jordan, 
proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins, 
as it is written in the book of the words of the prophet Isaiah:
    A voice of one crying out in the desert:
    “Prepare the way of the Lord,
        make straight his paths.
    Every valley shall be filled
        and every mountain and hill shall be made low.
    The winding roads shall be made straight,
        and the rough ways made smooth,
    and all flesh shall see the salvation of God.”

Email Distribution Service Change!
MESSAGE FROM BISHOP MUEGGENBORG
 
Dear Friends,
 
Thank you for your interest in receiving the weekly Reflection on the Sunday Gospel email.  In an effort to consolidate our office communications, future weekly emails will be sent from our new Flocknote email distribution service.  Please watch for this email and check your “Spam” or “Junk Mail” folder if you do not receive it in your regular in-box. 
 
God bless you as we approach this time of Thanksgiving and Christmas.
 
+Daniel Mueggenborg

 
Eucharistic Revival Resources
THE FIRST SUNDAY OF ADVENT
Our scripture passage comes from the Gospel of Luke 21:25–28, 34–36. In this passage, Jesus speaks about the great and fearful day of the coming of the Son of Man at the end of time. Then He says to His disciples, “stand up and raise your heads.” That is a way of saying that for disciples, the coming of the Son of Man at the end of time will be a cause for joy, courage, and hope. This passage provides excellent insights for our lives as disciples as we begin the Advent time.

Jesus tells us that the principal reason for our joy when the Lord comes is because our redemption is at hand. The term “redemption” means to be purchased, freed or released from the forces that oppose and oppress us as faithful Christians. These include human weakness, sin, and the political and cultural forces that oppose the Gospel. For Christians the “End” which Jesus describes is really the “Beginning” of true freedom! That is why the Lord’s coming may cause anxiety, confusion, fear, and dread in the lives of non-believers, but Christian disciples will experience that moment as a source of joyful fulfillment of their hope. This teaching presumes that Christians are, in fact, living “for the Lord” in every aspect of their lives. It is easy, however, to become spiritually distracted and to find ourselves having put some other priority or value at the center of our lives instead of Jesus and the Gospel.

The Christian virtue of Piety is one of the seven Gifts of the Holy Spirit and can be described as the spiritual ability to give God His rightful place in our lives. As our creator, redeemer, and savior, God’s rightful place is front and center all day and every day. It is the virtue of Piety that allows us to love what God loves, love others as God loves them, and order our lives in relationship to God. Sometimes, however, we can allow false values and mistaken priorities to take that place which rightfully belongs to God. When that happens, we can lose our spiritual grounding and spend our time and energy on earthly pursuits. Without the gift of Piety, we can even become idolatrous by allowing other temporal interests to take the place of God.

This time of Advent is an annual opportunity to identify some of the false values and mistaken priorities to which we have become attached, and to pray for the gift of the Holy Spirit to help us experience the virtue of Piety by returning God to His rightful place. This clarity of faith and spiritual centeredness will allow us to experience peace and confidence even in the midst of distressing situations because of our awareness that God is with us and cares for us.
 
How is the Christian faith today opposed or oppressed by the cultural or political forces of our world?

From what oppressive situation in your life do you pray to be liberated?

What would be your response if the Lord were to come for you today?

How would you prepare to meet the Lord?

What keeps you from living your faith life fully and freely?

How does this teaching on the gift of Piety inspire you during this Advent time?

What are some of the false values and mistaken priorities that commonly take the place of God in people’s lives?
 
Next, Jesus tells His disciples to “Beware that your hearts do not become drowsy,” meaning that we should watch carefully so our lives do not go astray while preparing for judgment. Self-indulgence, (carousing), dissipation (drinking bouts) and the distractions of daily life (specified as the worries, riches, and pleasures that choke the Word of God in Lk 8:14) are specifically mentioned as common temptations that cause disciples to lose sight of their relationship with the Lord.
Self-indulgence can lead a person to falsely believe that their happiness depends upon experiencing the pleasures of this life. Such a false belief is prevalent in a hedonistic society and can blind a person to the true eternal happiness God desires for us through relationship with Jesus Christ. The temptations of dissipation and daily distractions represent the temporary concerns and ephemeral consolations that often dominate our attention. When we are having a bad or stressful day, it is easy to seek comfort in simple gratifications rather than the security of God’s friendship and love. When we are immersed in the successes and failures of a busy daily life, it is easy to lose sight of the eternal relationship to which God calls us, and so we begin to think that our life depends upon our own efforts. These temptations can ultimately lead us to place our security, hope, sense of worth, and identity in something other than God. Although these false gratifications may be more tangible in the moment, they are only temporary and eventually pass away. Only our relationship with God endures forever. Only God can give us our true identity, our eternal worth, and our lasting value.

If we live for the Lord, then our lives will manifest that committed relationship through moral integrity and visible uprightness. Self-control, self-denial, and sacrificial generosity towards others are hallmarks of Christian discipleship. It is this faith-filled and faith-based practical response of Christians that most prepares us to meet the Lord. Jesus did not tell His disciples that they should hide in seclusion when the Son of Man comes. Nor did Jesus tell His disciples that they should only prepare themselves by interior reflection. Rather, Jesus tells us that the true way to prepare ourselves to meet the Lord is by our authentic prayer, conversion, and holiness of life that is manifested in faithful virtue. Our Lord’s instruction helps us realize that both our actions and our prayers need to be conformed and focused on what is eternal rather than on what is only temporary.
During this time of Advent, disciples are invited to experience this practical renewal of life based on authentic spiritual conversion. While we may intensify our spiritual practices, we should remember that the transformation to which Jesus calls us will always be manifested in a visible life of faith and moral integrity.
 
How easy is it for you to lose sight of God in the course of your normal day?

What practices can help you to keep God at the center of your life all day and every day?

What are the typical temporary pleasures of life people are tempted to pursue instead of finding true comfort and security in God’s friendship?

What are the distractions of daily life that claim so much of a person’s attention and energy?

How can these mistaken pursuits lead to a false sense of security, worth, identity, or hope?


Who do you know that has experienced a practical moral change in their life because they came close to meeting the Lord?

How does this necessary connection between the interior renewal of authentic prayer and external, visible manifestation of growth in virtue challenge you in your discipleship?
 
As we begin a new year in the life of the Church, it is always a good opportunity to stop and take inventory of our growth in faith and consider what growth in discipleship has taken place in the past year, as well as what growth we want to take place in the next year. In short, it’s time to make a New Year’s resolution for discipleship.
 
What would you like to be different in your faith life one year from now?

What steps will you take to make it happen?

What have been milestones of your growth in discipleship this past year?

From which false values or mistaken priorities does Jesus most want you to be freed?
 
Finally, it is worth paying particular attention to the opening and closing prayers of Mass for this Sunday. Each of these prayers speaks profoundly about the teachings we have just studied from Luke’s Gospel.
 
As you reflect on these prayers, which line of the text has particular meaning for you?

During this season of Advent, what is one resolution you could make that would help you focus more on the things of eternal life rather than the daily distractions of this life?
 
Opening:
Grant your faithful, we pray, almighty God,
The resolve to run forth to meet your Christ
With righteous deeds at his coming,
So that, gathered at his right hand,
They may be worthy to possess the heavenly Kingdom.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
Who lives and reigns with you
In the unity of the Holy Spirit,
One God for ever and ever.


Closing:
May these mysteries, O Lord,
In which we have participated,
Profit us, we pray,
For even now, as we walk amid passing things,
You teach us by them
To love the things of heaven
And hold fast to what endures.
Through Christ our Lord.
Christ in Glory. Annibale Carracci. Oil on canvas, 1597. Galleria Palatina, Florence.
Luke 21:25-28, 34-36

Jesus said to his disciples:
“There will be signs in the sun, the moon, and the stars, 
and on earth nations will be in dismay, 
perplexed by the roaring of the sea and the waves.
People will die of fright 
in anticipation of what is coming upon the world, 
for the powers of the heavens will be shaken.
And then they will see the Son of Man 
coming in a cloud with power and great glory.
But when these signs begin to happen, 
stand erect and raise your heads 
because your redemption is at hand.

“Beware that your hearts do not become drowsy 
from carousing and drunkenness 
and the anxieties of daily life, 
and that day catch you by surprise like a trap.
For that day will assault everyone
who lives on the face of the earth.
Be vigilant at all times 
and pray that you have the strength 
to escape the tribulations that are imminent 
and to stand before the Son of Man.”

Email Distribution Service Change!
MESSAGE FROM BISHOP MUEGGENBORG
 
Dear Friends,
 
Thank you for your interest in receiving the weekly Reflection on the Sunday Gospel email.  In an effort to consolidate our office communications, future weekly emails will be sent from our new Flocknote email distribution service.  Please watch for this email and check your “Spam” or “Junk Mail” folder if you do not receive it in your regular in-box. 
 
God bless you as we approach this time of Thanksgiving and Christmas.
 
+Daniel Mueggenborg

 
Eucharistic Revival Resources
THE SOLEMNITY OF
OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST,
KING OF THE UNIVERSE

Our Scripture passage comes from the Gospel of John 18:33b–37. In this extraordinarily profound scene we read about the kingship of Jesus proclaimed in the context of our Lord’s dialogue with Pilate. This passage offers some important insights into what it means for us to be the Lord’s loyal and faithful subjects.

 

One of the first things to notice about this passage is how quickly the trial of Jesus actually turns into the trial of Pilate! This change in perspective is accomplished by the initial exchange of questions between Our Lord and the Roman Procurator. Pilate begins by asking Jesus a simple and objective question: “Are you the King of the Jews?” Jesus responds by challenging Pilate with a personal question: “Do you say this on your own or have others told you about me?” The Gospel of John contains several moments when Jesus asks questions, and all of these occasions represent ongoing causes of reflection and discernment for the Christian life. These questions began with Jesus’ inquiry of Andrew and another disciple (Jn 1:38) and continue throughout the Gospel. Each of these questions is meant to clarify and focus our faith as disciples just as it did with the faith of those to whom Jesus first addressed them.

 

In this passage our Lord is asking Pilate to decide between a faith that is based on hearsay (what others have told him about Jesus) and a faith that is based on personal encounter and response (what he can say about Jesus on his own). Pilate has heard a lot about Jesus, but this is the moment when he meets Jesus for the first time and our Lord is offering him the relationship of faith. For this reason it is really the trial of Pilate rather than the trial of Jesus because the question to be resolved is how Pilate will respond to this opportunity: whether he will remain distant from Jesus and limit his knowledge to objective titles of faith or whether he will enter into a personal relationship with the Lord and make His own profession of faith.

 

As the story unfolds we see Pilate distance himself from the Lord by stating the source of His knowledge as being that of others (“your own nation and the chief priests”). Pilate further demonstrates his distance from Jesus by insisting that our Lord answer his question (Are you the King of the Jews?) rather than following the discussion Jesus has initiated (His Kingdom is not of this world). That reluctance of Pilate to follow Jesus in the conversation can be symptomatic of a mistaken discipleship in which we sometimes expect Jesus to follow our lead rather than following the Lord’s lead. As disciples today, we inherit a great tradition of faith and benefit from what others have told us about Jesus. Like Pilate, we are called to make these objective statements of faith our own in a subjective (personal) commitment to the Lord.

 

While our personal relationship is always guided and informed by objective statements, it is the subjective encounter with Jesus that animates and makes concrete those statements. Being a disciple isn’t just a matter of knowing what others have said about Jesus, it also requires that we make those statements our own and in doing so, recognize and respond to the presence of the Lord Who is active and present in each moment of our lives. That responsiveness and obedience is what it means to be a loyal subject of Christ the King. The Saints gave great examples of what it looks like when a disciple integrates objective statements of faith into a personal (subjective) response to Jesus Christ. Pilate gives us an example of what happens when we resist such integration.

 

What have other people told you about Jesus?

What can you say about Jesus from your own life experience? 

When have you felt like you were on trial for your faith and how did you do? 

In what ways are we tempted to set the agenda for our prayer? 

How might you seek God’s agenda for your prayer? 

 

Jesus responds to Pilate’s question by speaking about the nature of His Kingdom rather than His identity as a King. In all four Gospels there is a high frequency of royal language in the Passion accounts which indicates that this moment serves as our Lord’s most explicit enthronement as King (Mk 15:2, 9, 12, 18, 26, 32; Mt 27:11, 29, 37, 42; Lk 23:2, 3, 37, 38; Jn 18:33, 37, 39; Jn 19:3, 12, 14, 15). Although John’s Gospel does not have many references to the Kingdom of God, the Kingship of Jesus has already been introduced and alluded to in previous chapters (see Jn 1:49 and 6:15, 12:13). When we study John’s rare references to the Kingdom of God, we find that both of them are in the context of our Lord’s conversation with Nicodemus in John 3:3 and John 3:5. This use of the same term (“Kingdom”) means that the conversation with Nicodemus and the trial before Pilate (Jn 18 and Jn 3) should be read together so as to give a deeper understanding to the dialogue now taking place with the Roman Procurator.

 

In the conversation with Nicodemus, Jesus specified that those who wish to enter the Kingdom of God must be born again of water and the Spirit. This process involves both a visible and an invisible action and suggests the moment of Baptism when a person is incorporated into the Body of Christ, the Church. Jesus has made no other reference to the Kingdom in John’s Gospel until He stands before Pilate. This tells us that our Lord’s pending Passion, Death, and Resurrection (Paschal Mystery) not only continues the conversation with Nicodemus, but actually fulfills it. The Spirit that regenerates humanity through the Sacrament of Baptism will be handed over by Jesus from the Cross and entrusted to the new-born Church (Jn 19:30) gathered to Him at that moment (Jn 12:32) The Cross is the saving event Jesus described to Nicodemus when He spoke of that faith which would give eternal life (Jn 3:14–15).

 

Beginning with the instruction of the Mother of Jesus at the Wedding in Cana (2:5) and continuing throughout John’s Gospel, John the Evangelist has repeatedly described the necessary relationship between the internal and external manifestation of faith for a disciple: namely, what a person believes interiorly must be lived out in their actions (see Jn 10:27–28 Jn 14:15, 21, 23 Jn 15:5, Jn 15:7–8 Jn 15:14, Jn 21:15–17). Such integrity between faith and action is what it means to be a loyal subject of the Kingdom of God. Therefore, to be a loyal subject of Christ the King and part of His Kingdom requires both an internal experience of faith and love for God as well as an external transformation of life conforming us to the will of God. This integrated and committed act of faith is what brings us into an abiding relationship with Jesus and the Father and that relationship is eternal life. Jesus’ response to Pilate cautions us, however, to realize that while His Kingdom is present in the world through the lives of faithful disciples, His Kingdom is never something that is “of” the world.

 

Rather, His Kingdom is always from above and is a gift of the Father through the Son and in the Spirit. This caution is to prevent us from thinking that we are ever the origin of the Kingdom or that the Kingdom receives its authority and success through our efforts. We can only cooperate with God’s reign in our lives but we are never the authors of it. Jesus demonstrates in His own Passion and Death what it means to live a life that is completely conformed to the will of the Father. He is the King of Love who reigns supremely and principally from the Cross of Calvary. For this reason, it is on the Cross that Pilate actually proclaims Jesus as the Universal King of the known world by giving Him the title “King of the Jews” in the three major languages of ancient civilization; that is, Latin, Greek, and Hebrew (see Jn 19:19–20).

 

Disciples must have the eyes of faith that can recognize Jesus as our King in this moment and the obedience of spirit to imitate His love as a faithful member of our Lord’s Kingdom. Disciples must also have the integrity of faith to not only hear our Lord’s voice but to follow Him with a life conformed to His teaching. The Kingdom of Jesus stands in stark contrast to the kingdoms of this world which tempt us to pursue only what has meaning in our limited experience of the current moment; it is both necessary and difficult to recognize and dismiss our attachment to any earthly desire that tries to influence our decisions or actions and to seek a life of sacrificial selfless love even as Jesus witnessed it for us on Calvary.

 

It is in light of these insights that we must ask the question: Is Jesus really our King and are we truly His loyal subjects? 

If someone were to put you on trial for being a citizen of the Kingdom of God, what evidence could they put forth? 

How does the kingship of Jesus over both the internal and external dimensions of your life challenge you? 

In Baptism we become a member of Christ’s body. How does this truth inspire and challenge your discipleship when you see the Body of Christ on a Crucifix?

 

The final element of this passage offered for our reflection concerns our Lord’s statement that truth is the motivating purpose for His birth, mission, and witness. In order to understand what Jesus is saying we have to recall how truth has already been used in relationship to Jesus in the Gospel of John. We were first told in John 1:14 that the Word became flesh and dwelt among us and the Word was full of “grace and truth”. A few verses later in John 1:17 it states that we receive from Jesus the “grace and truth” which He embodies. This phrasing is important because it relates to the two qualities of God in Exodus 34:6–7. Thus, John is telling us from the beginning of his Gospel that Jesus is the presence of God among us and that we have access to the life, truth, and grace of God through Him. That is the reason for Jesus’ birth: To reveal God, who is love, so that we can be in eternal communion with Him.

 

The question that remains concerns how Jesus will accomplish this mission. As the Gospel unfolds we are reminded that truth is a fundamental element of Jesus’ mission. We see these reminders in the description of John the Baptist’s ministry (Jn 5:33) and in our Lord’s statement when He identified Himself as the “Way, the Truth, and the Life” (Jn 14:6). Truth, then, is not an intellectual concept or proposition to which we assent. Truth is first and foremost a person: the presence of God incarnate in Jesus Christ. The mission of Jesus, the reason for His birth, is to reveal the truth of God’s love for the world and in doing so to make God known to all people. The dialogue before Pilate indicates that the moment of Jesus’ ultimate revelation of truth has begun: He is about to bear full witness to God, who is love, so that the truth of God can be revealed to the world. This witness will take place on the Cross of Calvary, and that is why Jesus’ final words in John’s Gospel (Jn 19:30) are a proclamation that the reason for His birth, mission and witness are now “finished” (the Greek term tetelestai more properly means “accomplished, perfected, or fulfilled”).

 

Our Lord’s revelation of God’s love is offered to everyone, including Pilate. The question remains as to how each of us will respond to this great gift and invitation. Jesus knows that not everyone will accept His truth, and for that reason He goes on to say that everyone who does belong to truth listens to His voice. The act of “listening” means more than just hearing; it means to respond with acceptance and obedience. This is an important statement because it connects the interior act of believing (“belongs to the truth”) with an exterior conformity of life (“listens to my voice”). The text of 1 John 3:18–19 reminds us of this necessary connection between belief and practice when we are cautioned to love not only in word or speech but in deed and truth. It is only by the conformity of our lives to the voice of Jesus that we can truly know if we belong to the truth of God’s love. Jesus is the only one who can reveal the true nature of God because He alone knows God since He has come from above (see Jn 3:31, Jn 5:19 and Jn 8:26).

 

In the verses that follow this passage we read of Pilate’s dismissal of Jesus’ witness when he says, “What is truth?” (Jn 18:38). Jesus has offered Pilate the same invitation He offers us: to accept that truth of God, which is eternal and from above. Pilate responded by dismissing our Lord’s offer of revelation and rejecting truth as an eternal reality. In doing so, Pilate demonstrates that attitude present in our own world, which rejects any claim to objective truth in favor of subjective opinions. For Pilate, a decision (or judgment) does not need to be based on the objective revealed truth of right and wrong but can be made according to the subjective goal of whatever is the most expedient or profitable solution to a momentary problem. We see Pilate demonstrating this rejection of truth when he declares Jesus innocent (Jn 18:38) yet allows our Lord’s fate to be determined by the unjust public opinion of the crowd. Pilate doesn’t want a world that is governed by revelation and subject to God’s values; instead, he wants a world that is self-determined where right and wrong can change according to the fickle whims of human desire. Such a world is fundamentally opposed to the revelation of Jesus who offers Himself as the only “Way, Truth, and Life”.

 

This choice for self-determination and self-definition of right and wrong demonstrates not only the unbelief of Pilate but is a caution for all disciples to consciously avoid these same tendencies in our secular world and culture. By turning away from the invitation Jesus offered, Pilate condemned himself. We cannot remain indifferent to our Lord’s claim that He Himself is the embodiment of the eternal truth of God. We must either accept that claim and choose to live by it, or we will reject it in favor of self-determination and self-definition based on the expediency of each situation. It is our response to the truth of Jesus that will determine whether we pass the trial of faith or not. When Pope Pius XI established the Feast of Christ the King, he stated, “When once men recognize, both in private and in public life, that Christ is King, society will at last receive the great blessings of real liberty, well-ordered discipline, peace and harmony.”[1]

 

What forms of liberty, order, peace, and harmony do we try to establish in today’s society without appealing to the objective truth of God’s revelation?

How do these values differ from Jesus’ values?

Which values in today’s society could help realize the ideals of God’s Kingdom?

How can you promote the blessings of liberty, well-ordered discipline, peace, and harmony in your own personal life, family, and faith community? 

What is the truth about God that you most appreciate when you see a Crucifix?

 

[1] Pope Pius IX, “Quas Primas N. 19” in AAS, 17 (11 Dec 1925).

Ecce Homo (Behold, the Man).
Guido Reni. Oil on canvas, circa 1639. Louvre Museum, Paris.
John 18:33b–37

Pilate said to Jesus,
“Are you the King of the Jews?” 
Jesus answered, “Do you say this on your own
or have others told you about me?” 
Pilate answered, “I am not a Jew, am I? 
Your own nation and the chief priests handed you over to me. 
What have you done?” 
Jesus answered, “My kingdom does not belong to this world.
If my kingdom did belong to this world,
my attendants would be fighting
to keep me from being handed over to the Jews. 
But as it is, my kingdom is not here.” 
So Pilate said to him, “Then you are a king?” 
Jesus answered, “You say I am a king. 
For this I was born and for this I came into the world,
to testify to the truth. 
Everyone who belongs to the truth listens to my voice.”

Eucharistic Revival
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THE THIRTY-THIRD SUNDAY
IN ORDINARY TIME

Our Scripture passage comes from the Gospel of Mark 13:24–32. This section of Mark’s Gospel contains a type of literature known as “apocalyptic” because of the cosmic references and future realities that take place as part of the “end times”. Special care must be taken when interpreting apocalyptic writings to avoid bizarre understandings or false expectations. This text does contain several important lessons for discipleship and so our reflection will focus primarily on those elements that can benefit us in our efforts to faithfully follow the Lord.

 

Chapter thirteen of Mark’s Gospel is often referred to as the “Little Apocalypse” as compared with the more extensive writing in the same style known as the Book of Revelation (or the Book of the Apocalypse). The word apocalypse comes from Greek and means to “un-veil” or to “remove the veil”, allowing a person to see clearly what was previously obscured. In order to properly understand this style of literature it is important to remember that the word “apocalypse” is singular, not plural, and refers to the revelation of one great hidden truth: The manifestation of Jesus Christ as Victor over the forces of sin and death and who now reigns as supreme Lord and judge of Heaven and Earth. That one great revealed truth gives meaning to all experiences of the Christian life, especially moments of difficulty, persecution, and even martyrdom at the hands of oppressive earthly powers.

 

This one great timeless revelation is portrayed in a variety of different ways and can be applied in multiple historical contexts ranging from the persecutions of the Emperor Nero in AD 64-68 to the destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple by the Romans in AD 70. Throughout history persecuted Christians have found encouragement, hope, consolation, and challenge in the apocalyptic writings of the New Testament and have interpreted their experiences through those writings. However, apocalyptic literature is interpreted quite differently if a person reads it as though it were intended to communicate multiple revelations (plural) rather than one great singular revelation. Such a divergent interpretation gives rise to tabloid articles about prophetic fulfillment, “end times” books, and other attempts to guess the exact day and hour of particular events. The singular victory and exaltation of Jesus Christ is meant to be a source of enduring hope, life, and encouragement to help Christians of all time face the challenges and obstacles presented in their faith lives.

 

Apocalyptic literature functions in much the same way as a preview of a movie’s closing scene; once you know how the movie ends then you can watch with calmness and confidence the many trials and tense challenges faced by the various characters because you have sure and certain knowledge that all will be well in the end. Apocalyptic literature provided much the same type of consolation for Christians of the first century who were experiencing fierce persecutions. Their faith in the victory of Jesus was strengthened, and they were able to embrace difficulties and martyrdom with confidence, hope, and even joy because of the assurance of Christ’s ultimate triumph.

 

When you read the Book of Revelation or other apocalyptic passages, how does it change your understanding to know that these texts are communicating one fundamental revealed truth rather than a multitude of future happenings? 

What forms of persecution do Christians face today from powerful entities forcing them to act contrary to their faith? 

The good news of apocalyptic literature is that it reveals God’s effective salvation for those disciples who have no earthly recourse for help. How is the Church called to be an instrument of that salvation and how can the Church effectively carry out that ministry? 

 

One of the important elements revealed in this apocalyptic passage is the new authority of the Son of Man. Jesus announces that He, as the Son of Man, will ride on the clouds of heaven (Mk 14:62). Through this statement, the Son of Man (Jesus) is being revealed as the Lord of heaven and earth since in Psalm 68:4 it is God who rides on the clouds. Also, the new authority of Jesus is further revealed when He announces that the Son of Man will send His angels to gather the elect from the four winds. This act of gathering the faithful was previously attributed to God in Deuteronomy 30:4. In each of these passages it is clear that Jesus, as the Son of Man, now does what God does in the Old Testament. This new authority revealed in Jesus means that a new kingdom is emerging, and with it, the old kingdoms are passing away. Kingdoms rarely pass peacefully or quietly and so the image of a violent transition is oftentimes a part of apocalyptic literature. The passing away of former kingdoms and powers is indicated by the sun and moon being darkened, the stars falling from heaven, and the heavens being shaken.

 

The coming kingdom (new order) of the Son of Man and these other realities cannot coexist for a couple of reasons. First, the sun and moon were the sources of light that helped us see the world around us. In the new order it is the Son of Man who will shed light on the events of our lives and allow us to see and understand them clearly through the values of the Gospel (Rev 21:23, “The city has no need of the sun or of the moon to shine on it, for the glory of God has illumined it, and its lamp is the Lamb”). Second, the stars were used as stable points from which people could determine their relative position on Earth and navigate to new destinations. Stars, then, gave guidance and stability. This image takes on further significance because of the ancient belief that earthly kings were identified by a corresponding heavenly counterpart (star). It is for this reason that the Magi followed the star that rose with the birth of Jesus in order to find the newborn King of the Jews. The falling of the stars, then, means more than just a change in guidance and direction in the new order. The falling of the stars primarily refers to the demise of worldly kingdoms (especially those that opposed Jesus) so that the new order, the Kingdom of God, can reign unhindered and supreme.

 

These earthly kingdoms included the Roman Empire as well as the leading families of Jerusalem who cooperated in the Crucifixion of Jesus. These temporal kingdoms will have no more authority in the new order. The greatest kingdom to fall, however, will be the kingdom of Satan that was manifested most graphically on Calvary. The Death and Resurrection of Jesus definitively crushed that kingdom of evil once and for all. Indeed, every other power in heaven and on earth will give way to that of the Son of Man. Those who place their hope in the passing kingdoms of this world are doomed to be disappointed and frustrated while those who place their hope in the Crucified and Risen Lord will be cared for as His faithful subjects (elect). This image challenges us to be clear about what power or authority we allow to give us direction, to determine the meaning of our life events, to guide us through every day decisions, and to be the source of our hope for future stability.

 

To what earthly powers or agencies do you turn for direction, understanding, stability and security? 

How does this reading challenge you to seek these gifts in Jesus Christ? 

How do great people today seek to make themselves immortal, and what does this passage teach us about the real source of immortality? 

What can a faith community do to reveal Jesus as the only true and eternal authority who can direct, interpret, guide, and give stability to our lives?

 

Jesus goes on to instruct the disciples on the need to faithfully interpret the signs of the time by using the image of a fig tree that sprouts at the end of winter so as to announce the beginning of spring. This is a very beautiful image and offers a rich opportunity from which to understand the new order of God’s Kingdom. The fig tree is barren in winter and seemingly lifeless. It appears dead due to the lack of foliage. However, the barrenness is only a precursor to the abundant and new life that bursts forth each spring around the time of Passover. This connection between the “new life” that bursts forth from barrenness around the time of Passover, Crucifixion, and Resurrection of Jesus at that same time should not be missed. The deeper meaning of this symbolism, when interpreted through the Death and Resurrection of Jesus, is this: What we think is the end is really the true beginning of a new and greater reality.

 

Christians of the early Church had a wonderful way of expressing this belief in the power of God to bring life out of death and good out of evil. They expressed their firm faith in two ways. First, when a martyr died, they referred to that day as the “Birthday” of the martyr since it was the day when their true life began even as their earthly life ended. For those who are faithful, the end is really only the beginning. Another way they professed this confidence was with graffiti written near the tombs of the martyrs. Sometimes they would juxtapose the Greek letters Alpha/Omega (meaning “beginning and end”) so that they instead read Omega/Alpha indicating that the end is actually the beginning. This beautiful expression of faith manifested the early Church’s belief in the power of Jesus’ Death and Resurrection to become the pattern for the trials and persecutions disciples experienced as well. What appeared to be the “end” of Jesus on Calvary was actually the “beginning” of His new Kingdom and resurrected life!

 

This mystery gives disciples hope when they face every obstacle, every closed door, every failed effort, and every organized attempt to thwart the Christian mission. There will always be difficulties in carrying on the mission of the Gospel. These difficulties occur because of the resistance of existing kingdoms to relinquish power and authority to the Kingship of Christ. It’s that simple. Jesus threatened the existing powers in His religious and political world and those powers resisted Him with all their might. There is no room in the Kingdom of God for coexistence with evil. The ongoing clash of kingdoms is a futile last effort of the lesser kingdoms of this world to retain their power and influence. In Mark 13:3 when our Lord sat opposite the Temple, Jesus gave warning that the kingdoms of this world must submit.  His posture of opposition was a declaration that the kingdoms of this world were soon to be destroyed and His more powerful Kingdom was soon to emerge.

 

What does the statement “The end is really the beginning” mean to you and how have you experienced that through various situations in your life? 

How does the image of the fig tree bursting forth with new life inform your understanding of the Cross and Resurrection of Jesus? 

Christians of the early Church used graffiti and intentional images such as “birthday” to profess their faith in the power of Jesus’ resurrection to overcome all things.  What are symbols or actions that can profess that same faith today? 

 

The passage ends with Jesus making two very important and interpretative statements. The first statement is when the Lord says that this generation will not pass away until these things have taken place, and the second statement is made when Jesus says that no one knows the day nor the hour. These two statements create a certain tension between a part of our Lord’s revelation that has already been fulfilled and another part that is awaiting whose fulfillment we still await. What has already taken place is the definitive victory Jesus won over the forces of sin and death that sought to destroy Him, and by that victory Jesus is rightfully established as the eternal Lord and judge of Heaven and Earth. What has not yet been fulfilled is the full manifestation of that kingdom on Earth.

 

To use a familiar image, the war may already be won but the battles rage on. We continue to experience manifestations of the power of evil in various ways throughout history on global, communal, and personal levels. These battles are real, but they cannot overcome the definitive victory Jesus has already won for us. The challenge for a Christian disciple when confronted with such a battle is to remain faithful to the Lamb of God who sacrificed Himself for our Salvation and who lives forever. By our fidelity and unwavering commitment to Jesus in the face of seemingly hopeless situations, we already share in His victory. This passage teaches us that the Lord will gather those who remain faithful (the elect) from across the face of the Earth. The Church, born from the foot of the Cross, is that faithful gathering (also known as the “Holy Remnant”) who are called to witness the new order of God’s reign even as we deal with the archaic vestiges of former reigns. Christ’s definitive victory gives us confidence that good will always ultimately triumph. The coming of God’s Kingdom, then, is not a cause of fear or concern or even curiosity for a faithful disciple but a cause of hope, confidence, and encouragement.

 

How does the unveiling (revelation) of Jesus’ ultimate victory in this passage give you hope, confidence, and encouragement for the situations you face?

How can a faith community help disciples remain faithful when they are engaged in a struggle with evil? 

In what settings do you experience opposition when you try to live out the values of the Kingdom of God? 

How does this understanding of the Church, as the Holy Remnant that is called to live faithfully in the Kingdom of God, challenge you to extend the Lord’s reign into other parts of your life and what are those parts? 

 

The French Jesuit author Pierre Teilhard de Chardin once wrote:

 

 “Above all, trust in the slow work of God. We are quite naturally impatient in everything to reach the end without delay. […] Only God could say what this new spirit gradually forming within you will be. Give Our Lord the benefit of believing that his hand is leading you, and accept the anxiety of feeling yourself in suspense and incomplete.”[1]
 


[1] De Chardin, T. Hearts on Fire, Edited by M. Harter (Chicago: Loyola Press, 2004), p. 102.

The Virgin of the Apocalypse.     
Miguel Cabrera. Oil on canvas, cir. 1760. Museo Nacional de Arte, Mexico City.
Mark 13:24-32

Jesus said to his disciples:
“In those days after that tribulation
the sun will be darkened,
and the moon will not give its light,
and the stars will be falling from the sky,
and the powers in the heavens will be shaken.

“And then they will see ‘the Son of Man coming in the clouds’
with great power and glory,
and then he will send out the angels
and gather his elect from the four winds,
from the end of the earth to the end of the sky.

“Learn a lesson from the fig tree.
When its branch becomes tender and sprouts leaves,
you know that summer is near.
In the same way, when you see these things happening,
know that he is near, at the gates. 
Amen, I say to you,
this generation will not pass away
until all these things have taken place. 
Heaven and earth will pass away,
but my words will not pass away.

“But of that day or hour, no one knows,
neither the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.”

Eucharistic Revival
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THE THIRTY-SECOND SUNDAY
IN ORDINARY TIME

Our Scripture passage comes from the Gospel of Mark 12:38–44. This story is commonly known as the “Widow’s Mite” and is often interpreted as a teaching on the virtue of generosity. However, there are additional elements in this passage that offer other challenging insights and cautions for us as disciples. In order to properly interpret this passage, it is necessary to read this story of the widow in context of our Lord’s reprimand of the Scribes who “devour the households of widows” (Mk 12:40). The negative example of the Scribes who use their resources to seek their own gain is presented in stark contrast to the example of the widow who gives of her resources in a sacrificial religious offering.

 

The first thing Jesus does is to caution against following the example of the Scribes. Their actions, such as wearing long robes and giving greetings in market places, were intended to draw public attention to themselves. The first seats in Synagogues and first couches at dinners were places of honor that enhanced the reputation of those who occupied them. These actions may sound harmless and may be perceived as mere trappings of an honor-based society. The Gospel of Mark has already given several teachings against seeking such honors (Mk 9:35, 10:31, 10:43–44) and so this warning would be understandable in itself as a caution against pursuits of false greatness. However, Jesus then goes on to state an even more serious charge against the Scribes: They devour widows’ households and for a pretense make long prayers (Mk 12:40). This accusation goes beyond that of self-seeking and implies deception as well as manipulative insincerity. This combination of actions (self-promotion, misrepresentation, and securing power over widows’ households) implies that the Scribes may have been using their religious and public standing in order to secure a position of management (trusteeship) over the inheritance of widows.

 

Once in such a position, dishonest Scribes would have the power to unjustly appropriate a share of the estate for themselves. In doing so, they could easily “devour” the households of widows. This is a serious charge and is not just a matter of self-seeking. The implication is that the Scribes are using their public and religious status (best seats in the Synagogue, best seats at banquets, and greetings in the market place) to promote themselves in positions of power over the vulnerable and powerless (widows) for the sake of self-gain at another’s expense. This act of exploitation reveals that the Scribes were acting as wolves in sheeps’ clothing and were preying on the powerless of their society. Jesus harshly condemns these actions as a direct violation of Love of God and Neighbor (see the preceding pericope of Mk 12:30–31). Our Lord ends His teaching with a warning that such persons who use religious pretense for self-gain will be harshly judged. The reason for this particular harshness is because they used religion as a platform from which they could abuse others for the sake of self-gain. This is a strong condemnation of anyone who would invoke God as a justification or disguise for harmful and selfish pursuits.

 

How do people today use religion as a means to build up their personal reputation for the sake of self-gain and self-promotion? 

How does this passage challenge disciples to be cautious when relating to the poor and vulnerable in our midst? 

When have you been tempted to use your religious affiliation and involvement as a source of public respect and trust? 

How has the mission of the Gospel been hindered by people who use respected religious positions to do harmful things?

 

The second thing Jesus does is to comment on the actions of the widow who makes a contribution into the Temple treasury. In the ancient world, temples often served a mixed combination of economic, political, and religious functions. For this reason, temple treasuries were sometimes pillaged by invading armies much like banks might be robbed in today’s world. Ancient accounts indicate that the Temple of Jerusalem contained an inner area known as the “Court of the Women” in which the treasury was located. The Mishnah in Middoth 2, 5 further indicates that there were thirteen trumpet-shaped metal chests in which people were to leave financial donations. Larger and more valuable coins would have made a different sound that that of smaller and less valuable coins. Thus, the amount of benefaction would have been readily known by anyone in the Temple area at the time a donation was made due to the noise. Widows were particularly vulnerable in the ancient world because they had no inheritance rights. In the absence of a social charitable system, widows had to rely on their families for support and care. The fact that the widow in this story is described as being poor indicates that she did not have such a supportive family and lived at the mercy of public charity.

 

Although poor and relatively destitute, this widow offered the little she had by giving two lepta coins, which was one of the smallest possible donations. Such a gift was clearly a sacrificial act and Jesus summarizes it as representing “her whole life savings” (Mk 12:44). It is the quality of her sacrifice rather than the size of her gift that forms the basis of our Lord’s comments to the disciples. It is true that the wealthy may make larger gifts but the widow gives out of her poverty (need) rather than her abundance, and so the sacrifice of the poor is greater than that of the rich. This religious action of the widow’s generosity stands in stark contrast to the deceptive, pretentious, and self-serving actions of the Scribes. The widow put her effort and resources into a sacrificial gift of pious generosity while the Scribes put their efforts and resources into self-promotion for the sake of self-gain.

 

It is important to note that Jesus does not make a qualitative comment on the widow’s action but only an observation of the contrast between a faith that leads to self-giving as opposed to a faith that leads to self-promotion. Some Scripture scholars detect a note of lament in our Lord’s final words about the widow giving everything she had. This lament may be an indication that while Jesus praised the sacrificial generosity of the widow, our Lord was also saddened by the actions of misguided religious leaders who manipulated the pious attitudes of the poor in order to secure funds for a physical building. (It should be remembered that the very next passage, which follows this section, contains a prediction of the Temple’s destruction.)  Indeed, what the widow did remained a virtuous statement of her faith and generosity even if her donation may have been promoted and encouraged by the deceptive actions of the religious leaders and Scribes. Our Lord’s tone of lament may also have been in reference to the social system that created such an unjust plight for widows, which effectively reduced them to destitute poverty. With this second interpretation of our Lord’s lament, Jesus may have been praising the woman who responded with generosity even in the midst of unjust suffering. Certainly that description described our Lord on the Cross who forgave those who crucified Him.

 

How do you know when you are giving from your surplus or giving from your need? 

How is God calling you to be sacrificial in your generosity now? 

Why do you think the Gospels speak so much about the importance of sacrifice for disciples?  How can sacrificial acts be used as a source of self-promotion? 

How can people’s pious attitudes be manipulated today for the purpose of securing charitable donations? 

How do you know when someone is sincere and worthy in their request for financial assistance?

 

This Gospel passage is often used to encourage charitable giving. As disciples, we are called to be responsible and responsive in how we address situations of need as well as how we invite others to be generous as an expression of their faith. There are several important points for reflection that we can gain from this reading which can help guide us in our efforts.

 

●      First, this passage can serve as a caution against pursuing religious maintenance at the expense of religious mission. Buildings and facilities are intended to promote the Gospel and never to contradict it. When the maintenance of institutional buildings becomes an undue burden or impediment to the work of evangelization (including charitable concern for the poor), there exists the danger of misplaced religious values.

 

●      Second, great caution must be taken to never use the values and teachings of faith in a way that manipulates people’s generosity for the sake of self-gain or disordered priorities. As disciples, we are inevitably involved in various charitable endeavors. It can be easy to find ourselves in a blind competition for limited resources and to seek the support of our own charitable causes without regard for the charitable causes of others. When asking someone to support a particular charity, it is important to take care lest such a request actually diminish charitable outreach to more important causes. Sometimes the media will report obvious frivolous charitable causes that provide for the purchase of private jets, expensive homes and grandiose salaries. However, it is more difficult to assess the relative importance of charitable causes in the absence of such obvious distinctions. It is then that disciples must prayerfully discern with responsibility and accountability both the reasonableness and faithfulness of the charitable requests they pose for others.

 

●      Third, this passage of the contrast between the Scribe and the widow follows the previous passage containing the great commandment to love God and neighbor. This contextualization invites us to consider who are the poor and vulnerable ones whose sacrificial efforts sustain our way of life. They, too, are our “neighbors”, and if we love them with the agape love of God then we will seek to raise them from the oppressive economic and social conditions in which they live. This love will challenge us to see them as brothers and sisters and to work so that they can experience the same dignity of life and have the same opportunities for their families that we enjoy. Jesus may have been implicitly criticizing the social conditions that reduced the widow to a life of destitute poverty. Our Lord might very well criticize contemporary economic structures that exploit the poor in our world as well.

 

As you reflect on these three points, which one offers a particularly helpful insight to assist or challenge you in your discipleship?

 How do you know when a ministry has become too “maintenance”-focused and is no longer “mission”-focused? 

What criterion can you use to determine which charitable causes are of greater importance and which are of lesser importance? 

Who pays the price for your lifestyle? 

Why should disciples care about the economic and social conditions of people they have never met or will never see? 

What social or economic structures do you think Jesus would confront if He spoke in your world?

 

The Church proposes the Seven Principles of Catholic Social Teaching to assist disciples in discerning how their love of God should affect their love of neighbor. The Seven Principles are intended to serve as a checklist to help us know whether we have considered all relevant priorities and factors as we make decisions that affect others and the world around us. The Seven Principles are as follows:

 

1. The protection of the life and dignity of the human person

2. The call to family, community, and participation in the social order

3. The rights and responsibilities of each person

4. The preferential option for the poor and vulnerable in a given situation

5. The dignity of work and the rights of workers

6. The realization of solidarity with the situation of others

7. The care of God’s creation

 

How can these principles help you to live this Gospel passage in a more effective way?

What can you do to embrace these principles in your daily life?

The Widow’s Mite.     
James Tissot. Fresco, cir. 1886. Brooklyn Museum, New York.
Mark 12:38-44

In the course of his teaching Jesus said to the crowds,
“Beware of the scribes, who like to go around in long robes
and accept greetings in the marketplaces,
seats of honor in synagogues, 
and places of honor at banquets.
They devour the houses of widows and, as a pretext
recite lengthy prayers. 
They will receive a very severe condemnation.”

He sat down opposite the treasury
and observed how the crowd put money into the treasury. 
Many rich people put in large sums.
A poor widow also came and put in two small coins worth a few cents. 
Calling his disciples to himself, he said to them,
“Amen, I say to you, this poor widow put in more
than all the other contributors to the treasury. 
For they have all contributed from their surplus wealth,
but she, from her poverty, has contributed all she had,
her whole livelihood.”

Eucharistic Revival
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THE THIRTY-FIRST SUNDAY
IN ORDINARY TIME

Our Scripture passage comes from the Gospel of Mark 12:28b–34. (A very similar passage is recorded in the Gospel of Matthew 22:34–40 and additional insights are contained in that reflection located in the Liturgical Year A edition of Come Follow Me.)  This Gospel passage is especially important for our reflection because the discussion between Jesus and the Scribe concerning the “First Commandment” is an instruction for disciples of all times and places.

 

One of the first things to note about this passage in Mark’s Gospel is that the Scribe who poses the question concerning the First (or greatest) Commandment does not do so in an attempt to trap or test Jesus (compare Mt 22:35 and Lk 10:25). Rather, we are told that the Scribe only approached Jesus after he heard and saw our Lord’s controversial discourse with the Pharisees and Sadducees. There are two important things to note about this observation of the Scribe.

 

First, it reminds us that there are always people watching what we say and do, and as disciples it is important to be good witnesses so that others will be inspired by our comments and actions. That is what happened to the Scribe in this passage: He first took time to observe Jesus’ actions and to hear Jesus’ teaching before approaching the Lord with his own question of faith. People will rarely approach us with sincere questions of faith until they trust us. Trust is the most fundamental step of discipleship and one that should not be overlooked. The Scribe was drawn to Jesus because he saw the Lord responding with insight, authority, understanding, and integrity. The same is true for us today: A life of authentic discipleship always attracts others, but we may only know of their interest after they have watched us act and listened to us speak for some time. Disciples bear the awesome responsibility of being such authentic witnesses of faith so that others are drawn to Jesus through us.

 

The second point to be taken from the response of the Scribe concerns our need to be open to all people when it comes to seeking potential disciples. It would have been easy for Jesus to dismiss the Scribe and to presume that his inquiry was antagonistic, but that was not the case. The Scribe was sincere and open to the Lord’s teaching. If Jesus or His followers had rejected the Scribe because of his association with the Pharisees and Sadducees, they would have been rejecting a potential disciple. Sometimes it is easy for us to make judgments about people based on their associations with others. The action of the Scribe in this passage cautions us to give every person the benefit of the doubt and to avoid generalizations. We can never know for certain how a particular person will respond to the Gospel, but we do know that there can be no response if we do not present the Gospel to them. The Holy Spirit can move in the hearts of all persons of good will to awaken within them the gift of faith, and Jesus wants us to be welcoming, encouraging, and cooperative instruments in facilitating their conversion.

 

Who do you influence each day with your words and actions?  

Who gained your trust and opened the way for you to seek Jesus and become a disciple?

What social, political, or other groups do you automatically presume will not respond positively to a message of faith? 

When have you been surprised by someone’s growth in discipleship because they were part of a group that you did not think would be responsive? 

 

When Jesus answered the Scribe’s question about the First Commandment, our Lord drew on two familiar and important sections of Scripture regarding love of God (see Dt 6:5) and love of neighbor (see Lev 19:18b). The quotation from Deuteronomy is particularly important because it was part of Jewish daily prayer life and reminded the faithful of the need to seek God in all things and above all things. The Scribe’s response not only emphasized the unity of God (“He is one”) but also the universality of God’s reign over all peoples (“there is no other but He”). It is the universality of God’s reign that redefines what it means to love our neighbor. God is not the Lord of only one people or nation but of all peoples and all nations. Because of God’s all-encompassing dominion, Christians cannot restrict or limit their love for others based on whom they want to be their neighbor. The universality of God’s reign means that all peoples in all places are our neighbors. It can be tempting for us to comfort our own consciences by reflecting on times when we do love God and neighbor.

 

This passage challenges us to be even more aware of those times when we do not love God and neighbor. It is only when we reflect on our lack of love that we can recognize ways in which we have limited and restricted the universality of God’s reign in our own lives and our neighborly care for all people. This commandment particularly challenges us to seek the Lord in all things and above all things. God’s reign is not only universal in terms of geography but also in regards to all dimensions of a disciple’s life. To love God is to serve God with our entire mind; that is, in our thoughts, decisions, conversations, and entertainment. It means to serve God with all our soul by our attentiveness and devotion to the Lord’s presence with us throughout the entire day, not only in momentary times of established prayer. It also means serving God with all our heart by conforming every one of our affections and attractions to what is Holy and seeking God in our relationships, hobbies, and other interests. Loving God also means to serve the Lord with the strength we exert through our daily tasks and involvement in the larger community. Any activity of a disciple’s life that cannot be reconciled with the presence of God is an action contrary to love of God and an indication that we have failed to fulfill this great commandment. It is only when a person loves and seeks God in this way, with every aspect of their whole being, that they can love all others as God loves them.

 

How can people today be tempted to think that God is not the Lord of all peoples but only of some special peoples? 

Who is the neighbor that you find it difficult to love? 

In what activities of your mind, soul, heart, or strength do you find it difficult to seek the Lord’s presence? 

Which area of your life do you most need to submit to Christ’s reign?

 

As we reflect on this great commandment, it is an opportune time to consider what it means to “Love”. There were four words in the Greek language that were used to describe love, and each of these four terms had a different meaning. The specific kind of love that Jesus commands for God and neighbor is that of agape, which is the highest and most demanding of all loves. Let’s consider the other three kinds before reflecting on agape. First, there is the kind of love described by the Greek word storge, which referred to the mutually affectionate relationships between family members or even with a person’s pets. It is a love based on enjoyment of one another’s company and mutual reward. This type of love may be more properly translated by the English word “like”. Second, there is the kind of love described by the Greek word eros, which referred to the physical, sensual love of husband and wife and is expressed in sexuality (it is from this term that we derive the English word “erotic”). This love is an expression of mutual self-giving and commitment. While it is an intense kind of love, it is also limited by its very nature. Third, there is the kind of love described by the Greek word philos, which referred to the brotherly love between very good friends. This love involves loyalty, mutual support, encouragement, and even sacrificing for the good of the other. This was one of the highest forms of love in the ancient world. The fourth and most demanding type of love was that of agape. This type of love is the very love that God has for us and is not only emotional or sentimental but also active.

 

God’s love is expressed in the Ministry, Life, Death, and Resurrection of Jesus. God’s love is unconditional because the Lord loves us even when we reject it, fail to return it, or do not appreciate it. God’s love is selfless because the Lord seeks what will benefit us in the pursuit of salvation. God’s love is sacrificial and is demonstrated by Jesus’ death on the Cross. God’s love forgives those who commit wrongs even when they don’t seek that forgiveness or even know their need of it. God’s love is not limited only to some people in some places but to all people in all places. God’s love is for both friend and foe. When we exercise sacrificial love, we easily defeat the shallow waters of our own selfishness as St. Francis de Sales reminds us, “Self-love deceives us…”. We leave charity for a moment, and this imperfect habit of human love is thrust on us, and we content ourselves with it as if it were true charity, till some clear light shows us that we have been deceived.”[1] It is this fourth kind of love, agape love, that Jesus commands us to live in our relationship with God and neighbor. As disciples, we are to become living witnesses of God’s love in the world.

 

How does this four-fold understanding of love challenge you to grow deeper in your discipleship

For whom do you express philos and agape love? 

What does a disciple need before they can live agape love? 

 

One final note about this passage concerns the Scribe’s comment that love of God and neighbor is greater than all burnt offerings and sacrifices (Mk 12:33). The priority of love over cultic sacrifice was already expressed in the prophetic and Wisdom writings of the Old Testament (see 1 Sm 15:22, Hos 6:6, and Prv 21:3). There were various religious groups in the time of Jesus, and each of those groups would have had a different opinion about how to best demonstrate love of God. The burnt offerings and sacrifices would have most likely been references to cultic worship in the Temple of Jerusalem. The Sadducees in particular would have promoted Temple sacrifice. The Pharisees would have emphasized daily purity laws, observance of the Sabbath, synagogue participation, separation from Gentiles and those considered unclean as ways in which a person should express their love of God. The Essenes (Qumran Community near the Dead Sea) would have promoted more extreme practices of prayer, fasting, and purity as part of their expression of love of God.

 

The response of Jesus in joining together love of God and love of neighbor challenges us to never separate one from the other. We cannot exempt ourselves from our responsibility to care for those in need because of our engagement in religious practices. Religious practices are meant to foster within us a greater awareness and commitment to all our brothers and sisters throughout the world. Any time we choose to perform religious practices instead of caring for our neighbor, whoever they may be, we have misinterpreted the purpose of those religious actions and have failed in both our love of God as well as our love of neighbor. The Scribe in this passage properly understood the necessary interconnectedness between our religious and charitable actions: Our obligation to God can only be fulfilled when we also care for our obligation to others. The debt of love that Christian disciples owe to their neighbor can never be fully repaid (Rom 13:8).

 

What are some of the ways in which people today express their love of God? 

How can those expressions be used as a false exemption from the obligation of charity to neighbor? 

What happens when a faith community focuses only on love of God? 

What happens when a faith community focuses only on love of neighbor?

What leads a disciple to think they already fulfilled their obligation to love their neighbor?

 

[1] St Francis de Sales, Treatise on the Love of God, Book IV, Chap. 10, (London: Burns & Oates, 1910).

Church Militant and Triumphant.     
Andrea di Bonaiuto. Fresco, cir. 1366. Santa Maria Novella, Florence.
Mark 12:28b-34

One of the scribes came to Jesus and asked him,
“Which is the first of all the commandments?” 
Jesus replied, “The first is this:
Hear, O Israel!
The Lord our God is Lord alone!
You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart,
with all your soul, 
with all your mind,
and with all your strength.

The second is this:
You shall love your neighbor as yourself.
There is no other commandment greater than these.” 
The scribe said to him, “Well said, teacher.
You are right in saying,
‘He is One and there is no other than he.’
And ‘to love him with all your heart,
with all your understanding,
with all your strength,
and to love your neighbor as yourself’
is worth more than all burnt offerings and sacrifices.”
And when Jesus saw that he answered with understanding,
he said to him,
“You are not far from the kingdom of God.” 
And no one dared to ask him any more questions.

Eucharistic Revival
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THE THIRTIETH SUNDAY
IN ORDINARY TIME

Our Scripture passage comes from the Gospel of Mark 10:46–52. This is the final scene on Jesus’ journey to Jerusalem, and the healing of the blind man Bartimaeus serves as a model of ideal discipleship (very similar to the model of discipleship exemplified by Zacchaeus in Luke 19:1–10). The healing of Bartimaeus offers many rich insights that can assist us in fostering discipleship both as individuals and as a faith community.

 

The passage begins by noting that Bartimaeus sat by the “roadside”. The actual term used in Greek (odon) is more properly translated as “way” and also referred to the Christian way of life. While beggars did often position themselves next to common thoroughfares so as to have maximum access to the passing populace, this initial detail indicates that the story will function on both a literal (surface) and a symbolic (deeper) level. The statement that he is blind referred not only to physical impairment but more importantly to lack of spiritual insight and faith. Bartimaeus, then, represents all those people who do not know Christ but whom Christian disciples encounter on their way as they follow the Lord.

 

We are also told that Bartimaeus was “sitting”, which indicates he was not moving either in a physical sense or in a spiritual sense. Bartimaeus was waiting, not only for assistance with his physical need but more importantly for the gift of faith to satisfy his spiritual need. It is in this moment that the blind beggar calls out to Jesus for mercy. The Greek word for mercy is eleison and is a root to the Greek word for alms (eleimosyni). Because of this etymological connection, it is probable that Bartimaeus was initially seeking alms more than a relationship with Jesus. The reality is that people are oftentimes drawn to the Lord due to a temporal need which can become the opportunity for a more profound encounter with the Lord. God can use any circumstance of life to lead us to Himself just as He used the blindness and poverty of Bartimaeus to call out for Jesus. As we follow the Lord, we should not be surprised when we encounter people who are blind (without faith) and sitting along the way. Rather, this passage invites us to see them as potential disciples and to serve their temporal needs as an opportunity to awaken the gift of faith.

 

How has the Lord awakened the gift of faith within you by first satisfying your physical or material needs?

For what part of your life did you feel like you were just sitting by the roadside as others 
passed by on their journey of faith?

How can a faith community evangelize others by first caring for their physical needs?

Is there someone with whom you interact each day who is sitting by the way and waiting to 
be introduced to Jesus? 

 

The initial response of the disciples was less than helpful. Instead of reaching out to Bartimaeus, they first tried to silence him. This may strike us as an odd response, but it warrants our reflection so we can learn to act properly towards those whom we meet. This is not the first time the disciples tried to silence someone who was calling on Jesus, as we were told in Mark 9:38.  They tried to stop a man who was casting out demons in Jesus’ name because the man did not follow them. Now we see the disciples trying to silence Bartimaeus who also was not part of their group. This repetitive attempt to prohibit others from calling on the name of Jesus because they were not yet disciples demonstrates an unhealthy and unhelpful attempt to limit and restrict access to the Lord.

 

Basically, it is the temptation to think that someone must first become “one of us” before they can encounter the Lord. The reality is that sometimes it is only because someone has encountered the Lord that they can become a disciple with us! This first response of the disciples cautions us to be careful about the ways in which we can be exclusive or restrictive in our attitude towards others. Any time we think that others don’t have a right to call out for God’s mercy, we become obstacles to that mercy and to the encounter Jesus wants to have with all who seek Him. It is important to note that Bartimaeus was undeterred by their rebuke and shouted even louder.

 

How can people today become possessive and controlling when allowing others access to God’s mercy? 

What are practical ways in which people in a faith community are told to “be silent” or “you’re not part of our group”?   

What are some of the obstacles you have had to overcome in order to encounter Jesus in your life, and how can you help others overcome similar obstacles because of your experience? 

 

It is at this moment that Jesus responded. We are told that the Lord stopped and ordered the disciples to call Bartimaeus. It is significant that Jesus works through the agency of the disciples because it shows how those who had been obstacles to Bartimaeus’ quest for faith can become facilitators when they listen to the Lord. It is important that all disciples learn this lesson! Jesus wants to work through us so as to bring others to Him. The disciples invited Bartimaeus with very specific words: Take courage, Arise, and He is calling you! These are significant phrases that have deep meaning in the Gospel and in Mark’s community. Courage was required of the disciples in Mark 6:50 when Jesus walked on the water in preparation to bring the message of the Gospel to the Gentile community of Gennesaret. Courage was also required of Mark’s community when they faced the fierce persecutions of the Emperor Nero in Rome. Indeed, those who called out for Jesus needed courage in order to become disciples. The second phrase used is “arise” (Greek: egeire) and is the same verb used to describe the Resurrection of Jesus. It is the verb also used in previous passages of discipleship in Mark’s Gospel (especially Peter’s mother-in-law in Mk 1:31, the healing of the paralytic in Mk 2:11, and the raising of Jairus’ daughter in Mk 5:41). The use of this verb indicates that Bartimaeus was being called to share in the risen life of Jesus.
 

This invitation to faith was from Jesus and ministered through the disciples. The way in which Bartimaeus will share in our Lord’s risen life becomes clear when we are told that he threw off his outer garment and came to Jesus. This interesting detail of discarding the garment is significant and alludes to the Sacrament of Baptism. In the time of Jesus, a person’s clothing was a symbol of their identity. To cast off one’s clothing was a way of saying that a person was leaving behind their former identity so as to become a new reality. For Christians, this new reality is received in Baptism when we are incorporated into the very person of Jesus who is the Resurrection and the Life. Bartimaeus was called by Jesus and now courageously approaches the Lord as someone who is sharing resurrected life, having left behind the trappings of his former life.

All these elements have a great deal to say to us in our lives as disciples. When we authentically and faithfully listen to the Lord, we can be instruments of Christ’s mercy reaching out to effectively bring others to Him. We, too, need to remember that it takes courage to live the Gospel and profess our faith in Jesus in the midst of a secular world. We may not face fierce persecutions like so many Christians in other parts of our world, but we do face the resistance of a culture that does not readily welcome or value religious expression, the sanctity of human life, the dignity of the human person, and other values of our faith. Finally, we need to remember that it is Jesus who is calling us to Himself and offering us a sharing in His very life which alone can overcome the forces of sin and death. Our response to that invitation, and a demonstration of our courage, is to freely and eagerly cast off the trappings of a former life so as to embrace our new identity as a Baptized member of the Body of Christ. The reality is that discipleship requires a transformation of life, and change is not always easy when it involves letting go of habits and attitudes that are contrary to the Gospel while learning to sacrificially love God and neighbor.
 

What situation are you facing and for which you need courage in order to witness your faith in the midst of it?

What are the typical trappings of a former life that people have to leave behind as they draw close to Jesus? 

How have you experienced the life of the Risen Lord filling you, and what has been the effect of that experience? 

How is God asking you to help bring someone to Him? 

 

When Bartimaeus came to Jesus the Lord asked him one of the most important questions of his life: What do you want me to do for you (Mk 10:51). This is the real moment of decision for Bartimaeus and his truly big chance in life. As he stands before the Lord he can ask for anything—Bartimaeus could have asked for the gift of money that would simply help him get by, but instead he asked for the transforming gift of God’s grace that would restore his sight and change his life. It takes a lot of courage to ask for that kind of gift because it means learning to live in a new way and leaving behind familiar settings (begging by the roadside), expectations of others, and fulfilling new responsibilities. Sometimes when we pray for God’s grace we seek only that gift which will get us by from one momentary need to another rather than the grace that will change our lives so we can follow the Lord as faithful disciples. Perhaps the greatest miracle in this story is that Bartimaeus knew what to ask for when he was given the chance and knew that he had the courage to actually seek it. Each of us experiences certain impediments in our efforts to faithfully live out our discipleship. It may be our inability to see clearly with the gift of faith, our inability to hear clearly the message of the gospel or to confess our faith to others, or our inability to walk in the way of the Lord because of the paralysis of sin and weakness. Rather than praying for a momentary grace that only gets us through a tough moment, we should have the courage of Bartimaeus to seek that enduring grace that will truly transform our lives and prepare us for the new challenges we will face as a result of that sharing in Christ’s life. Prayer is the work of the Spirit; therefore, we need to pursue the grace of prayer so we can ask God what we really need. For this reason, Saint Paul reminded the Romans, “The Spirit helps us in our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we ought, but that very Spirit intercedes with sighs too deep for words” (Romans 8:26).

 

What are examples of things we pray for that simply keep us comfortable the way we are and what are examples of things we can pray for that transform our lives? 

If Jesus said to you, “What do you want me to do for you today?” how would you respond? 

Do you know people who are struggling to live a new life because they have experienced God’s transforming grace, and how can you help them learn to live that new

life?

 

The passage ends with Jesus commanding Bartimaeus to “go” because his faith has “saved” him. The commandment to “go” is not just a dismissal indicating that Bartimaeus should leave that area; rather, it is a command to Bartimaeus that he is to now start living a new mission. Interestingly, the only time in the Gospel of Mark that anyone other than Jesus issues the command to “go” is in Mark 16:7 when the young man in the tomb commissioned the women to bring the message of the resurrection to Peter and the disciples (for previous scenes of discipleship in which Jesus commissions people to “go”, see Mk 2:11, Mk 5:19, Mk 5:34, Mk 6:38, Mk 7:29). The comment about saving faith is worthy of note. It is not often in the Gospels that Jesus identifies someone as having saving faith (see Jesus’ comment to the woman with the hemorrhage in Mk 5:34 where “healed” and “saved” are actually the same word in Greek). Bartimaeus demonstrated saving faith by his persistent pursuit of Jesus in the face of opposition, his courage and willingness to transform his life through Baptism, and his request for the enduring gift of sight rather than the temporary gift of alms. In response to Jesus’ commission to “go”, we are then told that Bartimaeus followed the Lord on the “way”. This is a beautiful statement that Bartimaeus used his gift of sight to become a disciple of Jesus and follow the Lord as He draws near to Jerusalem (as indicated in the very next verse of Mk 11:1) where He will experience His Passion, Death, and Resurrection. Bartimaeus could have used his gift of sight to return to his former life or follow his own pursuits instead. By using his gift to follow Jesus he is showing us what true and authentic discipleship looks like when one commits his life to Christ and lives out his Baptism by accompanying the Lord on His way. Bartimaeus has become a missionary disciple entrusted with the commission to “go” and witness the Resurrected Jesus to all whom he meets, especially those people whom he will find sitting along the way waiting for someone to bring them to the Lord.

 

How is every encounter with Christ meant to be an experience that sends us on mission? 

What gifts has the Lord given you that can become the means for you to follow Jesus more closely in the Christian way? 

What part of Bartimaeus’ faith inspires you most and why?

 
 
Christ Healing the Blind. El Greco. Oil on panel, cir. 1570. Staatliche Kunstsammlungen Dresden, Germany.
Mark 10:46-52

As Jesus was leaving Jericho with his disciples and a sizable crowd,
Bartimaeus, a blind man, the son of Timaeus,
sat by the roadside begging.
On hearing that it was Jesus of Nazareth,
he began to cry out and say,
“Jesus, son of David, have pity on me.”
And many rebuked him, telling him to be silent. 
But he kept calling out all the more,
“Son of David, have pity on me.”
Jesus stopped and said, “Call him.”
So they called the blind man, saying to him,
“Take courage; get up, Jesus is calling you.”
He threw aside his cloak, sprang up, and came to Jesus. 
Jesus said to him in reply, “What do you want me to do for you?” 
The blind man replied to him, “Master, I want to see.” 
Jesus told him, “Go your way; your faith has saved you.” 
Immediately he received his sight
and followed him on the way.

 
Eucharistic Revival
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THE TWENTY-NINTH SUNDAY
IN ORDINARY TIME

Our Scripture passage comes from the Gospel of Mark 10:35–45. In order to understand this passage, it is necessary to remember that, in the verses immediately preceding it (Mk 10:32–34), Jesus issued the third prediction of His pending Passion, Death, and Resurrection in Jerusalem. It is, then, immediately following the announcement of suffering, that the disciples James and John seek privileged positions of honor. Let’s look at this passage to see what instruction we can gain for our lives of faith.

 

This passage is located at a very significant place in Mark’s Gospel. As such, the very context of the story contributes to its understanding and becomes an important interpretive key with which to unlock its meaning. In particular, this story is a continuation of previous teachings regarding the damaging pursuit of mistaken greatness. Because there are several significant lessons to be gained from this account, it is worth considering each element in detail.

 

●      The request for privileged positions of honor by James and John follows immediately after Jesus’ third prediction of His Passion. As we saw in the reflection on Mark 9:30–37, this contextualization is a commentary on how the Passion of Jesus continues when members of the Church give in to similar competitive ambitious pursuits of exclusive and privileged positions. James and John demonstrated an unhealthy ambition that sought inordinate honor at others’ expense. This passage is a warning to the Church reminding us that those who pursue such ambitions can cause the Body of Christ (the Church) to suffer. While Pope Francis and his predecessors have spoken strongly against such manifestations of ambition, like careerism, clericalism, and other “diseases” that afflict the Body of Christ,[1] we need to remember that the inordinate thirst for prestige and honor through positions of ministry can afflict the Church at all levels—from the volunteers who coordinate coffee and donuts to the members of ministry teams and advisory councils. No one is immune from this temptation whether they be parishioners, deacons, priests, bishops, or even the Pope himself. When anyone seeks a position of ministry or leadership because of how it honors or benefits them personally then destructive ambition has entered their soul and the Body of Christ always suffers.

 

●      It is also significant that James and John approach Jesus twice in their request. First they ask the Lord to do whatever they ask and then they ask for selfish pursuits. Faith is always distorted when we try to convince God to do what we want rather than seeking God’s will for our lives so we can do what the Lord wants. At this point in Mark’s Gospel Jesus has drawn close to Jerusalem, and His journey is almost fulfilled. We see in the question of James and John that the disciples have much to learn before their journey of discipleship is completed. In particular, they still have not yet learned the proper relationship of faith and disposition of servanthood that will allow them to bear the Cross with Jesus. Disciples are to follow the Lord’s lead and not try to lead the Lord where they want to go. We can be tempted in our faith to approach God in the same way that James and John approached Jesus. This passage reminds us that authentic growth in discipleship is marked by increased surrender to God and not the desire for increased control over God.

 

●      Although the request of James and John was for future glory (presuming they were referring to a heavenly place of honor similar to that described in Rev 4–5), they may have been seeking temporal glory as well. The Dead Sea Scrolls reveal that the Essene community had a highly-structured society that was based in part on how they believed the messianic banquet would be ordered in the Kingdom of God. The actual meals of the community and the relative seating of its members reflected that heavenly order. James and John may have been hoping for similar places of temporal honor based on future positions in the Heavenly Kingdom. This reprimand may be a caution to the Church to avoid similar temptations of honor and prestige based on position and expressed in ceremony. As Jesus will make clear later in this passage, positions within the Church are for service to God’s people and not for the benefit of the one who receives that position.

 

●      The remedy Jesus offers for ambition is that of faithful suffering when He asks James and John if they can drink the cup He drinks and can be Baptized in the Baptism He will experience. That is the ultimate question of discipleship. It reminds the disciples that greatness is not found in the selfish pursuit of honorable positions or privileged status, but rather in the ability to faithfully endure hardship and suffering for the sake of Christ. The Old Testament uses the image of a cup as a symbol of suffering and wrath (Jer 25:15–29, Ps 75:8, Is 51:17, 22). Jesus will drink of this cup at the Last Supper in Mark 14:25 and in the Garden of Gethsemane in Mark 14:36. To drink from the cup of Jesus, then, is to share in our Lord’s very suffering on Calvary rendered present to us in the Eucharist. This symbol of suffering is further developed because James and John asked to be placed, one at Jesus’ left and one at Jesus’ right, when our Lord enters His Kingdom. What they did not realize is that the Kingship of Jesus is established on the cross of Calvary, and in Mark 15:27 we are told that two bandits were placed “one on His right and one on His left”. The lesson of this teaching is clear: Greatness for Christian disciples is in the ability to share in the Cross of Christ.

 

●      Jesus’ comment about Baptism is similar to that of the cup and connected to it. As Saint Paul reminds us in Romans 6:3–4, we were Baptized into the Death of Christ. Christian Baptism receives its life-giving sacramental power from the Cross of Christ. Jesus is asking James and John the fundamental question of discipleship: Can they follow the Lord in His suffering and not just in His glory?  They approached the Lord with a desire for greatness and Jesus has taught them the standard of true greatness: Greatness is not based on where they sit but on how closely they can remain to the Lord when it involves suffering and persecution.

 

As you reflect on the exchange between James, John, and Jesus, which aspect challenges you in a particularly personal way and why? 

How can positions of ministry today become a source of competition for power or prestige?

Why is suffering such an effective remedy for unhealthy ambition? 

When do you pray for positions of power or prestige? 

 

The next part of this passage conveys the indignant response of the other ten disciples towards James and John as well as Jesus’ instruction on the necessity of serving others. We can easily understand the very human reaction of the other ten disciples towards James and John. The two had just attempted to secure honor to the exclusion of the rest and their request was rejected. In a certain sense, James and John may have been humbled by Jesus but the other ten were seeking to humiliate them. Sometimes people can be frivolously fascinated by the shortcomings and failures of others and that disordered interest can become a sinful exploitation of other people’s difficulties. In a recent interview with the Belgian magazine Tertio, Pope Francis referred to such an unhealthy fascination with the descriptive term “coprophilia”. That’s what the ten were doing to James and John. That unhealthy and uncharitable fascination with another person’s failure continues our Lord’s suffering in the Body of Christ just as much as the inordinate ambition of James and John.

 

As a Church, we need to remember that Jesus desires our unity and charity towards others, especially in moments of personal weakness and failure rather than division and humiliation. It is interesting that in vs. 41 we are told that the disciples “began” to be indignant. Notice that we are never told that their indignation stopped. Mark’s Gospel has many such beginnings most of which are constructive initiatives in the ministry of Jesus but some of which are negative actions and influences that harm and weaken the Church and individual disciples (see also Mk 8:32 where Peter “began” to rebuke Jesus following our Lord’s first prediction of His Passion). Influences in the life of the Church, both positive and negative, began during the time of Jesus and continue even today.

 

Jesus then addresses the damaging response of the ten disciples by contrasting how greatness and authority are expressed in the secular world with how they are expressed in the Kingdom of God. The Romans governed by brutal force and relied upon tactics of intimidation to coerce their subjects into absolute submission and loyalty. Jesus used His authority to heal the sick, free those oppressed by evil spirits, and confront the disordered priorities of the religious leaders of His time. Our Lord, then, used His authority in service to others rather than in domination of them. When Jesus sent the disciples on mission in Mark 3:15 and Mark 6:7 we are told that the Lord shared His own authority with them so that they could continue His works of healing, liberation, and service to the truth. By exercising their authority in the right way (selfless, sacrificial service to others in imitation of Jesus), the disciples will be able to avoid temptations to that false worldly greatness that divides and weakens the Body of Christ. Not only are they to be servants to one another but Jesus also tells them that they must become slaves to all. That is a very powerful term; a reminder that all people—not just some people—have a right to receive the Gospel.

 

The disciples and the Church cannot rest until the whole world has effectively received the Gospel of Jesus. This is not so much a task we complete as it is a life-long mission we fulfill. When we drink the cup of Christ and are Baptized into our Lord’s Death and Resurrection, we belong to God who has complete and utter claim on our whole lives. Disciples, then, are ultimately slaves of the Lord who make no claim for reward, recompense, or recognition. We owe the Lord and others our service and commitment as a life condition.

 

When have you seen or heard one group of people celebrating someone else’s failure, and what do you think would have been a more Christian response to that situation? 

Who are people with authority in our secular world, and how do they make their authority felt? 

How are authority and power exercised appropriately in a faith community? 

What ministries most authentically manifest the authority and power Jesus entrusted to the Church? 

How does the image of being a slave of Christ inform and challenge your discipleship? 

 

The passage ends with a single, very powerful statement of Jesus in vs. 45 that the Son of Man came to serve, not to be served, and to give His life as a ransom for many. The ultimate service that Jesus will offer us is His Death on the Cross. It is then that the Lord “redeems” us, “saves” us, and “ransoms” us. These are all terms that we use in our prayer, yet we may not fully understand them. It’s worth reflecting for a moment on what Jesus means when He speaks of ransoming the many because it is rare in today’s world that we hear of someone being ransomed. Occasionally pirates may seize a ship and require ransom for those held captive. Sometimes we might read about a person being kidnapped and held for ransom as well, but in the time of Jesus this practice actually occurred more frequently than it does today. To ransom (or redeem) means to pay a price for someone’s freedom from captivity. It is most likely this aspect of freeing captives that Jesus wants us to focus on. The entire mission of Jesus was to lead us to freedom in the Kingdom of God.

 

Jesus began this journey of freedom when He identified Himself with sinful humanity and received the Baptism of repentance from John. In His life and ministry, Jesus shows us how to overcome the forces of sin and violence through forgiveness and peace. Ultimately, Jesus definitively saved us from the power of death itself by His own Death and Resurrection in which He opened the gates of eternal life to those who believe. It is our Lord’s great ministry on Calvary that ransomed us from captivity to our sin and the consequence of death. As disciples, we have been ransomed by the Blood of Jesus so that we can live in the freedom of Christ. We accept this freedom and ratify this ransom in every Eucharist we celebrate when the grace of Calvary is offered to us sacramentally in the Body and Blood of the Lord. This belief in redemptive suffering for others (that is, suffering which “pays the price” for others) was expressed in the Old Testament through the Suffering Servant of Isaiah 53:11–12 and 2 Maccabees 7. Jesus is the true Servant of God whose suffering justifies many, bears their guilt and takes away their sins while gaining pardon for their offenses. This is what we mean when we profess our belief in Jesus as our Redeemer and Savior. In the normal poetic style of the mystics, St. John of the Cross described this ransom on the wood of the cross by relating it to the Fall and the wood of the Tree of Knowledge in the Book of Genesis, “Beneath the apple tree: there I took you for my own, there I offered you my hand, and restored you, where your mother was corrupted.”[2]

 

How does it make you feel when someone else pays for a cost that you have incurred? 

How does this teaching of Jesus change the way you look at a Crucifix? 

When have you “ransomed” or “redeemed” someone else and what was their response? 

How does this teaching affect the way you receive Communion as the moment in which you receive the redemption Christ gained for you on Calvary?

 

[1] Pope Francis, Presentation of the Christmas Greetings to the Roman Curia. Rome. (22 Dec 2014).

[2] St John of the Cross, “Spiritual Canticle v. 23” in Complete Works, (Washington: ICS Publications, 1991), p. 474.

 
 
The Calling of St. James and St. John. James Tissot. Oil on canvas, cir. 1890. Brooklyn Museum, New York.
Mark 10:35-45

James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came to Jesus and said to him,
“Teacher, we want you to do for us whatever we ask of you.” 
He replied, “What do you wish me to do for you?” 
They answered him, “Grant that in your glory
we may sit one at your right and the other at your left.” 
Jesus 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?” 
They 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;
but to sit at my right or at my left is not mine to give
but is for those for whom it has been prepared.” 
When the ten heard this, they became indignant at James and John. 
Jesus 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. 
But it shall not be so among you.
Rather, whoever wishes to be great among you will be your servant;
whoever wishes to be first among you will be the slave of all. 
For the Son of Man did not come to be served
but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

 
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