Twenty Ninth Sunday in Ordinary Time (B)

October 21, 2018 

Readings:

First Reading: Isaiah 53: 10-11

Psalm: 33

Second Reading: Hebrew 4: 14-16

Gospel reading according to Mark 10: 35-45 (or 10: 42-45)

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Homily:

Two of the twelve chosen disciples, named James and John, sons of Zebedee and Salome, came to Jesus to ask something in return for being his Apostles, the ones to whom he sent.  They knew also that Jesus was a potential leader and destined to become king.  “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 you’.” (Mk. 10: 35).  They were requesting Jesus to do something about their whims, wishes and plans and whatever they asked for.

Although Jesus knew what they would like to ask from him, still he let them expressed their caprices and desires.  “He replied, ‘What do you wish me to do for you’?” (Mk 10: 36).  Jesus understood what they wanted and he would like to serve them, as to please them to make them feel welcome, comfortable, and not being threatened, and to do something for them.

They revealed the intentions of their hearts, of what they were longing for. “They answered him, ‘Grant that in your glory we may sit one at your right and the other at your left’.” (Mk 10: 37).  Both of them would like to have positions as they referred to “in your glory,” according to their thinking, that where Jesus might overthrown King Herod and be the new king, when Jesus is already seated in his earthly throne, a political, economic, religious, etc. earthly kingdom, who rules the people of Israel with power, authority and might.  Jesus will let them sit at his left and right sides of his throne, for they thought that they were among the first disciples called by Jesus to follow him, so they supposed they were the first in the priority in the earthly kingdom of Jesus, when he is already reigning.

So it is, ‘sabi na nga ba,” as the saying goes. Although they were with him for a long time, more or less three years, still they have wrong connotation about the kingship of Jesus in his teaching on the Reign-Kingdom of God (or Heaven).   They were wrong in their understanding in the manner of kingship of Jesus. “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’?”  (Mk. 10: 38).  Jesus said that they did not know what they were asking.  So Jesus challenged them, by asking them if they can drink the cup of sacrifices, suffering, pain and passion, even death or the baptism he will baptize of serving and fulfilling the mission given to him by his Father by saving peoples from their sins against God and their neighbors.

With lots of confidence, they said, yes, they can drink from the cup he will drink and can be baptized with the same baptism he will receive.  ”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’.” (Mk. 10: 39-40).  “To sit at my right or at my left is not mine to give but is for those for whom it has been prepare,” is one of the many limitations of  human things that Jesus compromised in becoming human being like us. Jesus assured them that they will experience the suffering and sacrifices, the passion and death he will endure, and the baptism of blood by offering himself on the Cross, but he also revealed to them that giving a sitting and/or standing on the left and on the right sides of the throne is not with his capacity to offer for he did not receive such authority when he became man to put whom he wishes to sit on his sides, but only God the Father has the power and the right to place anyone/anybody he wanted to grant the honor.  Jesus, who was born, sent and authorized only to bring to God those who are righteous, faithful and qualified to be place in the Reign-Kingdom of God, who served God through others.

This situation did not escape from the hearing of the other ten chosen disciples.  Though the two brothers came first and expressed their desires.  “When the ten heard this, they became indignant to James and John” (Mk. 10: 41).  They became jealous to the two brothers, for they too would like to sit, if they have the opportunity, at the sides of the throne of Jesus.  They became irate, vexed and outraged with James and John because they were disregarded by the two brothers with regards on sitting/standing near of Jesus, with the same power, authority and subordinating others in their mind will be nearing to become the King of the Jews.  They too cannot hide their interest and ambition, as what the two brothers did.

As their true leader and master, Jesus sensed a tension between his disciples so “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’.” (Mk 10: 42-45).  After calling them, he explained to them, though they knew about it, and presented the true conditions of those who have power, authority and majesty as rulers, great ones and kings of the Gentiles and of this world, they overpower all those under their control and influence. .But, as for his disciples, they were called to be humble and simple servants, if they wanted to be great.  If they wanted to be the first among many they must be the last, the least and slaves of all.  Just as the Son of Man, Jesus, who did not come to be served but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many, even washing their feet at the Last Supper.  So with us, we are called to serve like servants and at the lowest positions such as slaves and not to be served such as rulers, princes and princesses, kings and queens, and royalties, and the great ones with power, authority and majesty to overlord the poor, the marginalized, the oppressed and those in the periphery, but to serve the least.