Twenty-ninth Sunday in Ordinary Time. Year B. - Sunday, October 17, 2021 (EPISODE: 327)

 Twenty-ninth Sunday in Ordinary Time. Year B. - Sunday, October 17, 2021 (EPISODE: 327)

Readings for Twenty-ninth Sunday in Ordinary Time. Year B. Mission Sunday
FIRST READING: Isa 53: 10-11
Ps 33: 4-5, 18-19, 20+22. "Lord, let your mercy be on us,  as we place our trust in you"
SECOND READING: Heb 4: 14-16
GOSPEL ACCLAMATION (Mark 10: 45). Alleluia, alleluia! The Son of Man came to serve. And to give his life as a ransom for all.
GOSPEL: Mark 10: 35-45 or 10: 42-45

Image Credit: Shutterstock Licensed. ID: 177283565- Modern stained glass window depicting a pelican wounding its breast to feed its young, an ancient Christian symbol of Jesus Christ and his Passion and Crucifixion. By Nancy Bauer
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Please listen to the audio-recordings of the Mass – (Readings, prayers and homily), for Twenty-ninth Sunday in Ordinary Time. Year B. Mission Sunday - Sunday, October 17, 2021 by clicking this link here: https://soundcloud.com/user-633212303/faith-hope-and-love-29th-sunday-ordinary-b-episode-327?si=901a79331beb44e489c6ff805583a40e  
(EPISODE: 327)
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* (Prologue:  Fr Paul Kelly)

The readings this weekend speak of God who is not aloof or uninterested, but rather, God who is right there in the midst of us, sharing our suffering and pain, taking on our human condition, and lifting us up and helping people in very practical and compassionate ways….   God who gets his hands dirty and is one of us and among us to help us… to save us….
 
Jesus reiterates the ways of God -  humility, service, self-sacrifice……. - "…Anyone who wants to become great among you must be your servant, and anyone who wants to be first among you must be a slave to all. For the Son of Man, himself did not come to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.'
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Jesus Chris loved us SO much that he gave himself up for us, completely. Jesus sacrificed himself to save us. He became like a slave for us.
 
As the second reading says; We have a God who is able to sympathise with us in our weaknesses, because Jesus has shared our human nature and experienced human weakness, suffering, pain, and temptation just like we all have.
 
Jesus DOES indeed know what it is like for us to experience difficulties of every kind, and he promises to walk with us and support us in the challenges and suffering of life.
 
There is a saying, "I am only human," and whilst it is good to acknowledge that we are fallible and that we can all make mistakes, that excuse can sometimes be used to justify us remaining stuck in behaviours that are destructive and in choices that are decidedly not consistent with Christs' gospel message.
 
Sure, we are human, we are fallible - but, we are also called to share in Christ's divine life….
 
So, whilst God is understanding, sympathetic and forgiving, this is even more reason why we need to dedicate ourselves to rise above the sinful and destructive behaviours that we find ourselves in.
 
God's forgiveness and our human weakness is never an invitation to say, 'this is all I am and this is all I can be. I will not change, and will always wallow in my weaknesses.' Rather, we are inspired by God's tender mercy and compassion so that we then take up our cross and keep travelling along the journey of conversion - persevere along the path of holiness, and constantly ask God to foster in us the virtues that will transform our weaknesses and make us more and more like Jesus and his values….
 
Our weaknesses are a reality that can be a big obstacle in our path to increased holiness. However, it is no excuse for stopping in our tracks! Our weaknesses are real, but are never a reason to stay 'stuck in patterns of sin.'  We need the help of God's grace to achieve this.
 
Jesus is the ultimate example of not only "God made flesh" but also of humanity fully alive and glorified. The saints; (those holy women and men who led lives of service, sacrifice and holiness), remind us that, despite our limitations and infirmities, it is possible and necessary to keep moving forward in the path of holiness. Settling for less is not God's call for us.
 
The journey we are on is one that is 'walking a fine line.' We live in a way that means we never give up because of the sins and failures we experience in our lives, and we always gratefully accept the new start that God gives us through God's compassion and mercy, but at the same time, we never allow our weaknesses to cause us to presume on God's mercy - thinking we can choose to do wrong because we know God will forgive us afterwards.
 
The gospel today is very fitting too…..
 
The disciples, (poor disciples!) have got it wrong .......again!!
 
Here are James and John coming up to Jesus and insisting that he give them places of honour and privilege in his Kingdom. How selfish, how proud, how indulgent!
 
The other disciples are angry at them, but perhaps because they too wanted those seats, (those privileges), and how dare others to ask for what they wanted! Jesus tries to show them (and us) that they have totally missed the point.
 
It is not even JESUS who allots everyone's place in Heaven. It is THE HEAVENLY FATHER. And the places will be allotted to people who have given themselves wholly to God's loving ways. Those who have suffered greatly to bring others to the good news of Christ; (those who have sacrificed themselves in loving and self-giving service), and certainly not to those seeking self-indulgence, privilege and prestige. How wrong these disciples are (in this matter at least)! These places cannot be earned without the CROSS, which is encountered in every disciple's life.
 
Jesus asks us to get rid of any kind of self-satisfaction, self-indulgence and pride. He shows us how to let go of our selfishness and give ourselves fully to others in service.
 
It is good for us to reflect deeply on this, (each of us individually, in our prayer can ask ourselves) ....." what motivates my actions?"  Really, what are my motives and priorities? What are the things that motivate me in what I do in the church and in my daily life?" Do I do things because I expect something back? Do I do it because I want a prestigious place of honour or a personal benefit for myself or those close to me?" The gospel today, and many more like it, challenges us:  We must know that this is not what Christ is calling us to.
 
Service and love, (done with Jesus' gospel values), are their own sweet reward. and with no other expectation of reward or honour. personal accolades, Personal reward, self-satisfaction – none of these are consistent with Jesus' message. Self-surrender, being servants to God and his message, compassion, self-sacrifice, loving service, mercy; this is consistent with Jesus' message.
 
Let us ask the Lord to lovingly show us our weaknesses, help us to trust in Gods mercy and compassion. Prevent us from ever presuming on your mercy, Lord, or boldly continuing to live wrongly and indulgently. Graciously spur us on, to keep going along the path to holiness. And. Lord, please inspire us to give selflessly and lovingly and to serve others as you did.
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(Homily:  Fr Peter Dillon).
HOMILY 29th Sunday Ordinary Time Year B 2021

Most religious communities have a prudent practice of appointing community leaders for set terms so that after having been a leader for a certain time, someone else in the community takes on the role, with the previous leader returning to a role with less authority and usually less responsibility. It is a very sensible way of exercising leadership, because only when we know what it means to follow do we really understand what is involved in leadership. Those who have been leaders of these communities are usually relieved to be able to be released from positions of authority, because they have come to understand that power, correctly used, can be a heavy burden.

 Some people actually seek authority because it comes with power and sometimes that power makes them feel important. Others like the prestige that it brings while others prefer the higher salary and other material rewards. All leadership requires certain positional powers that allow them to make necessary decisions, hopefully for the good of all concerned. It's been suggested that there are two types of authority, one which imposes, dominates and controls, while another type listens, liberates and empowers. I believe there is a third type which is silent, loving and trusting. It's the kind that parents use when their children have gone astray, when they hope they will come back. All three are based on an understanding of the value, or lack of it, placed on those over whom the power is exercised.

The type of power that James and John were seeking was based on envy and resentment and sought honour and glory for itself alone. They obviously thought that Jesus' kingdom was modelled on worldly kingdoms. Jesus turned that idea on its head and instead informed them that the greatest in his kingdom would be the servant of others, and he put himself forward as an example, using his power to enable, not control. Such authority mirrored the authority of God the Father. An authority, given, not presumed. He wanted them to know that authority should not be given to those who seek it, but only to those who were willing to serve, to use it for the right reasons. The cup he referred to was not a prize cup but a cup of sacrifice and suffering, of diligence and responsibility. They must understand that there is no shortcut to God's favour.

He urged the disciples not to exercise that same power that was used by the pagan leaders of the day. "They lord it over others and make their authority felt. This must not happen among you," he says. Our present age is no different when we see many forms of oppressive power and sometimes it strongly influences the young. They mistakenly believe that to get to the top in any field they may have to walk over others to get there, and once there, they can look down on others as insignificant. These people usually discover that at that height the air is rarefied and the view is far from satisfying, with the worry that someone may try to take the power away from them. Their positions are very unstable because they are founded on a fragile foundation that has little support from their followers.

None of us know in advance what the cup of life holds for us. We only find that out as life unfolds. We might imagine that after Jesus' life of service to others then his life would end in earthly glory, but as we know the opposite came to pass. To drink the cup of life, especially made difficult by a life of sacrifice and service to others, is to follow Christ. But those who share the bitterness of his cross, will also share the sweetness of his Easter victory. It would seem that James and John eventually got the message.

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References:

Homily – fr peter Dillon

Prologue - Fr Paul W. Kelly


Image Credit: Shutterstock Licensed. ID: 177283565- Modern stained glass window depicting a pelican wounding its breast to feed its young, an ancient Christian symbol of Jesus Christ and his Passion and Crucifixion. By Nancy Bauer


Twenty-ninth Sunday in Ordinary Time. Year B. Mission Sunday  (Sunday, October 17, 2021)  (EPISODE: 327)
The Lord be with you.
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{{Hi everyone}} welcome everyone, we gather -  Reflection upon God's word, and encounter Christ's presence. 

my brothers and sisters, to prepare ourselves to celebrate the sacred mysteries, let us call to mind our sins.

You raise the dead to life in the Spirit. Lord, have mercy//You bring pardon and peace to the sinner. Christ, have mercy// You bring light to those in darkness. Lord, have mercy//

May almighty God have mercy on us, forgive us our sins, and bring us to everlasting life.  Amen.
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Memorial Acclamation
2. When we eat this Bread and drink this Cup, we proclaim your Death, O Lord, until you come again.
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Ps 33: 4-5, 18-19, 20+22. "Lord, let your mercy be on us,  as we place our trust in you"

GOSPEL ACCLAMATION (Mark 10: 45). Alleluia, alleluia! The Son of Man came to serve. And to give his life as a ransom for all.
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PREFACE: Sundays VI
Eucharistic Prayer for Various Occasions 3
(theme variation: 3 )

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{Cheers and thanks everyone for this time of prayer and reflection - I hope you have a blessed week. }

Go forth, the Mass is ended.

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Archive of homilies and reflections:  http://homilycatholic.blogspot.com.au
To contact Fr. Paul, please email:  paulwkelly68@gmail.com

To listen to our weekly homily audio podcast, please click this link here:  https://soundcloud.com/user-633212303/tracks

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Further information relating to the audio productions linked to this Blog:
"Faith, Hope and Love - Christian worship and reflection"  - Led by Rev Paul Kelly

Prayers and chants  — Roman Missal, 3rd edition, © 2010, The International Commission on English in the liturgy. (ICEL)

Scriptures - New Revised Standard Version: © 1989,  and 2009 by the NCC-USA. (National Council of Churches of Christ - USA)

"The Psalms" ©1963, 2009,  The Grail - Collins publishers.

Prayers of the Faithful -   " Together we pray" by Robert Borg'.   E.J. Dwyer, Publishers, (1993) . (Sydney Australia).

Sung "Mass In Honour of St. Ralph Sherwin" -  By Jeffrey M. Ostrowski. The Gloria, Copyright © 2011 ccwatershed.org.

- "Faith, Hope and Love" theme hymn - in memory of William John (Bill) Kelly (1942-2017) -  Inspired by 1 Corinthians 13:1-13. Music by Paul W. Kelly. Arranged and sung, with additional lyrics by Stefan Kelk. 2019.

"Quiet Time."  Instrumental Reflection music. Written by Paul W Kelly. 1988, 2007. & This arrangement: Stefan Kelk, 2020.

- "Today I Arise" - For Trisha J Kelly.  Original words and music by Paul W. Kelly. Inspired by St Patrick's Prayer.  Arranged and sung, with additional lyrics by Stefan Kelk. 2019.

Sound Engineering and editing -  P.W. Kelly.
Microphones: - RODE NT-usb

Editing equipment:    NCH software - MixPad Multitrack Studio Recording Software

NCH – WavePad Audio Editing Software. Masters Edition v 12.44

Sound Processing:  iZotope RX 6 Audio Editor

[ Production -  KER -  2021]

May God bless and keep you.
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