The Word of Service

The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today challenge us to examine our motives for service as we seek to be open to accepting the Way offered to us in Christ.

Word and Service

The reading from the First Letter of Peter instructs us to revere the good news.

* [1:19] Christians have received the redemption prophesied by Isaiah (Is 52:3), through the blood (Jewish symbol of life) of the spotless lamb (Is 53:7, 10; Jn 1:29; Rom 3:24–25; cf. 1 Cor 6:20).

* [1:22–25] The new birth of Christians (1 Pt 1:23) derives from Christ, the imperishable seed or sowing that produces a new and lasting existence in those who accept the gospel (1 Pt 1:24–25), with the consequent duty of loving one another (1 Pt 1:22).

* [1:23] The living and abiding word of God: or, “the word of the living and abiding God.” (1 Peter, CHAPTER 1, n.d.)

Psalm 147 praises God’s Care for Jerusalem.

* [Psalm 147] The hymn is divided into three sections by the calls to praise in Ps 147:1, 7, 12. The first section praises the powerful creator who restores exiled Judah (Ps 147:1–6); the second section, the creator who provides food to animals and human beings; the third and climactic section exhorts the holy city to recognize it has been re-created and made the place of disclosure for God’s word, a word as life-giving as water. (Psalms, PSALM 147 | USCCB, n.d.)

In the Gospel of Mark, Jesus foretells His Death and Resurrection, a Third Time, and handles the request of James and John.

* [10:38–40] Can you drink the cup…I am baptized?: the metaphor of drinking the cup is used in the Old Testament to refer to acceptance of the destiny assigned by God; see note on Ps 11:6. In Jesus’ case, this involves divine judgment on sin that Jesus the innocent one is to expiate on behalf of the guilty (Mk 14:24; Is 53:5). His baptism is to be his crucifixion and death for the salvation of the human race; cf. Lk 12:50. The request of James and John for a share in the glory (Mk 10:35–37) must of necessity involve a share in Jesus’ sufferings, the endurance of tribulation and suffering for the gospel (Mk 10:39). The authority of assigning places of honor in the kingdom is reserved to God (Mk 10:40).

* [10:42–45] Whatever authority is to be exercised by the disciples must, like that of Jesus, be rendered as service to others (Mk 10:45) rather than for personal aggrandizement (Mk 10:42–44). The service of Jesus is his passion and death for the sins of the human race (Mk 10:45); cf. Mk 14:24; Is 53:11–12; Mt 26:28; Lk 22:19–20. (Mark, CHAPTER 10 | USCCB, n.d.)

Cindy Costanzo comments that in Jesus’s message to his Apostles, he is loving, patient, kind and so understanding. He understands how our ego can get in the way of everything. Work-sports-family-service-religion-spirituality.

 

These Gospel readings provide an opportunity to reflect on the meanings of "faithful service". A devoted and helpful follower; to be humble before God; to be ready to act when God nudges or provides inspiration; to help meet the needs of others; to remember it is not about money or rewards or ego; to generously offer skills and strengths to those who need help without exception and without prejudices.  These meanings evoke many memories of kind and selfless acts of service I have observed for the past days, weeks and months. (Costanzo, n.d.)

Don Schwager quotes “The way to glory and honor,” by Augustine of Hippo, 354-430 A.D.

"Ponder how profound this is. They were conferring with him about glory. He intended to precede loftiness with humility and, only through humility, to ready the way for loftiness itself. For, of course, even those disciples who wanted to sit, the one on his right, the other on his left, were looking to glory (Matthew 20:20-23; Mark 10:35-40). They were on the lookout, but did not see by what way. In order that they might come to their homeland in due order, the Lord called them back to the narrow way. For the homeland is on high and the way to it is lowly. The homeland is life in Christ; the way is dying with Christ (Matthew 6:25; Mark 8:35; Luke 9:24; 17-33). The way is suffering with Christ; the goal is abiding with him eternally. Why do you seek the homeland if you are not seeking the way to it?" (excerpt from TRACTATE ON JOHN 28.5.2.13) (Schwager, n.d.)

The Word Among Us Meditation on 1 Peter 1:18-25 comments that whatever our challenges, remember that “your faith and hope are in God” (1 Peter 1:21). Jesus has offered his very life, his own blood “as of a spotless unblemished Lamb,” to set you free (1:19). It’s this life—pure, divine, freely given—that has broken the power of sin and death. The forces that held you captive have been defeated.

Whenever you find yourself indulging in “futile conduct,” turn to the Lord. Believe in the objective truth: Jesus has ransomed you. Get a friend or spiritual mentor to pray with you. They can help support you in faith. Receive God’s forgiveness and grace in prayer and in Confession. That’s where you’ll find God’s strength to keep going, even in the face of sins that seem hard to overcome. With each act of faith in Jesus’ work on your behalf, you are taking another step down the road toward the freedom that Jesus has won for you.

“Jesus, thank you for ransoming me! Help me to walk in freedom.” (Meditation on 1 Peter 1:18-25, n.d.)

Friar Jude Winkler comments that Peter asserts that the work of Jesus to bring us back from the sinful world is intended for all eternity. The response of James and John, and perhaps the other apostles, to Jesus' coming Passion is focused on “What’s in it for us?”  Friar Jude reminds us that the promise of the Cross is that we take up the true leadership of service of our entire life.

Fr. Richard Rohr, OFM, introduces Advocate Carl Siciliano who recounts how relationship with his LGBTQ community has often placed him at odds with what Christian churches have taught.

Thomas Merton wrote of an “eternal conflict” [1] within Christianity—a conflict between those who become self-righteous and judgmental of the sins of others and those who learn to humbly accept their essential unity with their fellow humans. I hope the Church will come to such humility and repent of the terrible harm it has done to queer people, especially queer children. I don’t know if I will live to see that. All I know is I cannot imagine how the harmful elements of the Church can be healed if I cannot uproot the rage and division in my own heart. I’m tired of being angry. 

We are reminded today that we need to contemplate with the help of the Spirit, the Way of kindness and compassion we must take to truly bring Christ into the conflicts of our journey. 

References

Costanzo, C. (n.d.). Daily Reflection Of Creighton University's Online Ministries. Creighton University's Online Ministries. Retrieved May 29, 2024, from https://onlineministries.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/052924.html 

Mark, CHAPTER 10 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved May 29, 2024, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/mark/10?32 

Meditation on 1 Peter 1:18-25. (n.d.). The Word Among Us: Homepage. Retrieved May 29, 2024, from https://wau.org/meditations/2024/05/29/980808/ 

1 Peter, CHAPTER 1. (n.d.). USCCB. Retrieved May 29, 2024, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/1peter/1? 

Psalms, PSALM 147 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved May 29, 2024, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/psalms/147?12 

Schwager, D. (n.d.). Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations. Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations – Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations. Retrieved May 29, 2024, from https://www.dailyscripture.net/daily-meditation/?ds_year=2024&date=may29 

Life of Holiness

The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today challenge us to follow the call to holiness and to prioritize our action in support of the last who will become the first.

The Last shall be First

The reading from the First Letter of Peter is a call to Holy Living.

* [1:10–12] The Spirit of Christ (1 Pt 1:11) is here shown to have been present in the prophets, moving them to search, investigate, and prophesy about the grace of salvation that was to come (1 Pt 1:10), and in the apostles impelling them to preach the fulfillment of salvation in the message of Christ’s sufferings and glory (1 Pt 1:12).

* [1:13] Gird up the loins of your mind: a figure reminiscent of the rite of Passover when the Israelites were in flight from their oppressors (Ex 12:11), and also suggesting the vigilance of the Christian people in expectation of the parousia of Christ (Lk 12:35).

* [1:14–16] The ignorance here referred to (1 Pt 1:14) was their former lack of knowledge of God, leading inevitably to godless conduct. Holiness (1 Pt 1:15–16), on the contrary, is the result of their call to the knowledge and love of God. (1 Peter, CHAPTER 1 | USCCB, n.d.)

Psalm 98 praises the Judge of the World

* [Psalm 98] A hymn, similar to Ps 96, extolling God for Israel’s victory (Ps 98:1–3). All nations (Ps 98:4–6) and even inanimate nature (Ps 98:7–8) are summoned to welcome God’s coming to rule over the world (Ps 98:9). (Psalms, PSALM 98 | USCCB, n.d.)

In the Gospel of Mark, Jesus describes the First and Last.

Mike Cherney (2006) expresses the challenge he understands in the priorities suggested in the Gospel from Mark.

I find that I grow in my understanding of my faith through analogies to familial love. I find it more central to my being to have the experience of a worldly loving father and even the challenges presented by child, than to have the transcendent experience. I have felt the glow given by a loving God, but I admit my weakness and continue to hold my ultimate emotional investment in people in this world. I know some who have interpreted this passage in a sense more along the lines I would like to hear, but really have come to the conclusion that faith asks us to truly make the Lord and his offer of salvation our ultimate end. I recognize this does not mean giving up those I love, but only establishing a new set of priorities. (Cherney, n.d.)

Don Schwager quotes “The spiritual sense of leaving the family,” by Clement of Alexandria, 150-215 A.D.

"Do not let this passage trouble you. Put it side by side with the still harder saying Jesus delivered in another place in the words, 'Whoever hates not father, and mother, and children, and his own life besides, cannot be my disciple' (Luke 14:26). Note that the God of peace, who exhorts us to love our enemies, does not arbitrarily require us literally to hate or abandon those dearest to us. But if we are to love our enemies, it must be in accordance with right reason that, by analogy we should also love our nearest relatives... But insofar as one's father, or son, or brother, becomes for you a hindrance to faith or an impediment to godly life, one should then not collude with that temptation. Attend to the spiritual, rather than the fleshly, meaning of the command." (excerpt from SALVATION OF THE RICH MAN 22.13) (Schwager, n.d.)

The Word Among Us Meditation on Mark 10:28-31 comments that Jesus doesn’t keep time or measure progress the same way our boss or anybody else does. Everything depends on his free gift of grace—a gift that he offers us to the very end. That’s why “the last will be first” (Mark 10:31). It’s not necessarily because they will outrun the first; it’s because the people we consider “last” will be treated just as bountifully as the ones who we think are “first.”

This is an unusual race you’re running. The rules are stacked in your favor! So leave behind any frustration that you feel and start fresh today once again. Ask the Lord to show you his mercy in just the place you need it. Let that mercy remind you that it’s never too late to change or to try again.

“Jesus, thank you for your generous mercy.” (Meditation on Mark 10:28-31, n.d.)

Friar Jude Winkler comments that the path for the salvation of souls expressed in 1 Peter that involves suffering and dying may have been distasteful to early Christians. The Wisdom contained in verses, like that of the Suffering Servant, point to being consecrated and set aside so as not to conform to the values of the world. Friar Jude reminds us that Mark is not preaching the Gospel of Plenty but notes the life of Francis of Assisi, who was able to give all for the Kingdom and enjoy and celebrate the entire Creation.

Fr. Richard Rohr, OFM, introduces Rabbi Sharon Brous who draws on her Jewish tradition to name the dignity of every human being.

The call to awaken to the image of God, to the dignity of every person, has been the driving force of my religious life, the very heart of my faith…. What would it mean to build a society in which every person is treated as an image of the Divine? How would this affect our relationships with our neighbors, our coworkers, the stranger lying beneath the stained blankets and trash outside Starbucks? Wouldn’t it compel us to recast the cultures of our schools, organizations, and faith communities? How would it impact health care, education, public policy?… How would it transform law enforcement and criminal justice systems—where today judgment is too often rendered based on whether a person is Black or white, rich or poor, rather than guilty or innocent? (Rohr, n.d.)

We invoke the gifts of the Spirit for the patience and perseverance to participate in Jesus Way to fullness of life.

References

Cherney, M. (n.d.). Daily Reflection Of Creighton University's Online Ministries. Creighton University's Online Ministries. Retrieved May 28, 2024, from https://onlineministries.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/052824.html 

Meditation on Mark 10:28-31. (n.d.). The Word Among Us: Homepage. Retrieved May 28, 2024, from https://wau.org/meditations/2024/05/28/980172/ 

1 Peter, CHAPTER 1 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved May 28, 2024, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/1peter/1?10 

Psalms, PSALM 98 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved May 28, 2024, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/psalms/98?1 

Rohr, R. (n.d.). Knowing Our Neighbors. CAC Daily Meditations. Retrieved May 28, 2024, from https://cac.org/daily-meditations/knowing-our-neighbors/ 

Schwager, D. (n.d.). Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations. Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations – Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations. Retrieved May 28, 2024, from https://www.dailyscripture.net/daily-meditation/?ds_year=2024&date=may28