25th Sunday in Ordinary Time

There are three occasions in St. Mark's Gospel when Jesus predicts his passion.  We heard the first prediction last week in Mark 8:31-33.  We hear the second prediction today in Mark 9:30-32 and the third prediction is in Mark 10:32-34.  Jesus explicitly tried to warn the disciples about what was going to happen to him, “The Son of Man is to be handed over to men and they will kill him, and three days after his death the Son of Man will rise” (Mark 9: 31).  However, they "did not understand [what he was] saying" (Mark 9:32).  Not only did they fail to understand, "they were afraid to question him"; which is understandable given how Jesus publicly rebuked Peter when he got it wrong.  

Like St. Peter in the gospel last week, the disciples were "thinking not as God does, but as human beings do” (Mark 8:33).  They were overwhelmed by the knowledge Jesus was giving them and so they focused on their petty ambitions, arguing about "who was the greatest" (Mark 9: 34).   At this point, Jesus gives them and us a lesson about the topsy-turvy hierarchy of the kingdom.  In the kingdom “If anyone wishes to be first, he shall be the last of all and the servant of all” (Mark 9: 35).  There is no place in the kingdom where status or prestige is valued.  And there certainly is no place for jealousy or ambition. 

In today's, second reading from James 3:16 - 4:3, we are warned that jealousy and selfish ambition are earthly and unspiritual, bringing about disorder.  Our goal is to seek wisdom from above that is "pure, then peaceable, gentle, compliant, full of mercy and good fruits, without inconstancy or insincerity" (James 3:17).  If we can put our egos aside, and take on a gentle attitude of mercy and peace, then there is hope that we can, following the example of Jesus, bring the kingdom a little closer to Peachtree City. 

O God,
protector of the poor and defender of the just,
in your kingdom the last become first,
and the lowly are exalted.
Give us wisdom,
that we may find in Jesus the pattern of true discipleship
and the grace to follow him,
who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
God for ever and ever.

 AMEN.