These notes are provided by SrVivienne Kellett RSC and are intended to be used in any way which will be of help to readers in their task of proclaiming the word of God at Mass or perhaps of stimulating discussion amongst scripture or liturgy groups in parishes and communities. We would welcome feedback.
TWENTY-NINTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIMEYEAR B
The Gospel Reading is Mark 10:35-45.Very little has changed in two thousand years - we have not yet grasped the difficult teaching Jesus gives here.His words are directed first to James and John, then to the other ten and now to us who gather today to celebrate Mass.Jesus has already told the twelve of his forthcoming passion, death and resurrection when the two brothers ask can they be closest to Jesus, not in his suffering, but in his glory. Jesus tells them they don’t know what they are talking about.They will suffer indeed, but no-one can reserve a special seat in heaven. The teaching that follows is honoured more in the breach than in the observance in the church today, where we give people with special responsibilities or important tasks to perform titles and places of honour.Among pagans, Jesus says, some lord it over others or make their authority felt. Servants do not behave like this. Jesus came to serve and to give his life for us.
The First Reading is Isaiah 53:10-11.It is part of the fourth Song of the Suffering Servant of God.It pleases God that his servant carries out his mission for us all in and through his suffering and death.Then will come the glory.He will see the results of a life offered in atonement.The Lord’s wishes will be done.The anguish the Servant has experienced will be ended.He will see the light and be content. His suffering will be the source of many blessings for others.He took their faults – and ours – upon himself and in him we are justified.This is the kind of self-offering service that Jesus speaks of in the Gospel and that he expects of us who are called to follow him.
Our Response is from Psalm 33.It sings of the fidelity of God to us through all that we experience.We trust him and we pray that his love will be upon us as we hope in him.
The Second Reading is Hebrews 4:14-16.It follows closely the themes of the other readings.Jesus, our supreme high priest, the Son of God, is in heaven.We must never let go of that.It is the faith we profess.We believe this.What is amazing is that this Son of God, our supreme high priest, knows what it is to be human.He has experienced human weakness.He has experienced human temptations.In other words, he was just like us except for this – he did not sin.Because he knows what it is to be human we can have every confidence that he understands us. We know we can approach him when we find ourselves in need of his mercy and his help, his free gift, his grace.So we see that in glory he continues to be among us as one who serves, humbly and generously, true to his word.
THIRTIETH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME YEAR B
The Gospel Reading is Mark 10:46-52. Jesus, accompanied by his disciples, is continuing to journey towards Jerusalem. In Jericho, a large crowd gathers and accompanies them as they are leaving the city. Sitting huddled in his cloak by the roadside is Bartimaeus, a man who has lost his sight. He had evidently heard about Jesus, for when he hears who is coming he tries to attract his attention. The crowd try to hush him, but he would not be deterred. “Son of David, Jesus,” he shouts, “Have mercy on me” until Jesus hears his call, stops and asks that he be brought to him. The mood of the crowd changes, and they encourage the blind man to step forward. Throwing off his cloak, he jumps up and goes to meet Jesus. Jesus asks him, as he had asked James and John in last week’s gospel, “What do you want me to do for you?” Bartimaeus lacked eyesight but had the insight to have faith in Jesus. He recognises Jesus as Son of David, their greatest king. He calls him Rabbuni, which means Master, and asks “Let me see again.” Jesus simply answers, “Your faith has saved you” and Bartimaeus’ sight was restored and he followed Jesus along the road. He is never mentioned again. Yet we remember him still and his faith continues to impress and encourage us today.
The First Reading is Jeremiah 31:7-9. It is a prophecy full of hope for the people who were still in exile, longing to return to the land of Israel. Jeremiah begins by the confident assertion: The Lord says this. The people are to shout for joy, see their nation restored and recognise the hand of God in the salvation of the remnant of the people who will return from the north where they have been in exile, in Babylon. We notice that God’s first concern is for the weak, of whom the first mentioned is the blind. This alerts us to the Gospel reading we are about to hear. With the blind are listed the lame and women who are going to give birth. All are the concern of the Lord. The people had been led grieving from their homes. God will comfort them as they return. They will be led to streams of water, by a smooth path – no thirst, no stumbling. And why? Because God is a father to Israel, and Ephraim as beloved as a first-born son.
Our Response is from Psalm125. It is an expression of wonder at all the marvels the Lord has done for his people and the joy and delight that results.
The Second Reading, Hebrews 5:1-6, is about priesthood and Jesus as our eternal priest. Every priest is human, with the weakness and failings of humanity. But he is called by God to fulfil certain functions on behalf of the people. He is to offer gifts and sacrifices for sins and being human and sharing the limitations of humanity he can be compassionate towards the ignorant or uncertain. It was the duty of the high priest on the Day of Atonement each year to offer sacrifice first for his own sins, then for the sins of the priests and lastly for the sins of the people. No one takes on the office of priest unless called by God. Two famous priests in the Hebrew history are named: Aaron and Melchizedek. Each was called by God to priestly service. Jesus too was called to priesthood. He did not choose this honour for himself. The writer quotes from Psalm 2, describing God as Father and Jesus as begotten of God; and from Psalm 110, to show that Jesus is a priest like Melchizedek, and forever.
THIRTY-FIRST SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME YEAR B
The Gospel Reading is Mark 12:28-34. This passage is striking for more reasons than one. Some Pharisees and Herodians had been disputing with Jesus when a scribe intervenes. The scriptures are the lifetime study of a scribe, yet here one comes to ask Jesus his opinion on what is certainly one of the best known texts. Also, he is not in opposition to Jesus, as many were in the course of his ministry. His question, “Which is the first of all the commandments?” is not an attempt to trap Jesus, who without hesitation quotes their greatest leader, Moses. He had taught Israel that there is but one God who is to be loved “with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind and with all your strength.” Then, unasked, Jesus joins to this another text of scripture: “You must love your neighbour as yourself.” He declares that there is nothing more important than these two commandments. The scribe is evidently delighted with this response. “Well spoken, Master,” he says. We can imagine them beaming at each other as the scribe repeats Jesus’ words, adding his own emphasis: Love of God and neighbour is far more important than any sacrifice we could offer. This draws from Jesus a response he made to no other: You are not far from theKingdom of God. This conversation effectively silenced those who had been trying to entrap Jesus.
The First Reading, Deuteronomy 6:2-6, is the passage from which Jesus quotes in the gospel today. Moses tells them that the way to a long life and, it seems, a successful one (to see one’s grandchildren) is what he describes as the fear of the Lord. This is a strong word, and it needs to be, for it includes respect, honour, a focus on the Lord in all circumstances. It covers what is meant by the covenant relationship expressed in the formula “I shall be your God and you shall be my people.” Moses sees that this way of life will be good for the people. They will grow in number and enjoy produce of the land, so different from the barren desert of their wanderings. He sums up his teaching in the great words so sacred to Jews everywhere through the ages, that God is one, to be loved with all their strength, heart, soul and mind. This is to be written on their hearts. As indeed we pray that they be written on ours while we listen today.
Our Response, from Psalm17, expresses our love, our trust, our gratitude and our desire to glorify the Lord who shows his love for “his anointed” people.
The Second Reading is Hebrews 7:23-28. It continues the theme of priesthood, contrasting the priests of the “former covenant” with Jesus. Their priesthood lasted for the duration of their lives. That of Jesus is eternal. Then we have the wonderful statement that his power to save is utterly certain. We can be sure of this because he is forever interceding for all who come to God through him. The writer then explains that Jesus is exactly the kind of priest we need - one who is holy, innocent, uncontaminated, beyond the influence of sinners and raised up “above the heavens”. This is because while the former priests had continually to offer sacrifice for their own sins before attempting to offer sacrifice for the people, Jesus, being sinless, was able to offer himself in sacrifice once and for all. The Law, given through Moses, appointed high priests who were ordinary sinful men. The “promise on oath” made centuries later through David (Psalm 110:4) appointed the Son of God who is the perfect, eternal priest who is forever living to make intercession for us all.
THIRTY-SECOND SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME YEAR B
The Gospel Reading is Mark 12:38-44. There are two parts to this gospel passage. The first concerns the scribes. Jesus criticises them for their outward show of religion. He mentions special clothes, which make them stand out in a crowd, a crowd that is expected to show deference to them. He speaks of the way they expect (and are given) the place of honour in the synagogue and on social occasions too. (We are all guilty of encouraging this kind of behaviour in the church still.) They make a public display of praying but have no thought of justice towards the poor. They will have a severe judgment. Having a widowed mother himself, Jesus would have been well aware of the plight of women with little or no income, who would yet deprive themselves to contribute to the collection. Then Jesus sits opposite the treasury, from where he could see people making their contributions. He sees a widow donating a couple of the smallest coins – she might at least have kept one for herself. She gave her all. Jesus does not say that we should all give our last penny. He simply points out the distance between those who have plenty and give what they can well afford and those who give of what little they have. Each of us could re-examine our own giving in the light of this incident.
The First Reading, 1 Kings 17:10-16, also concerns a poor widow with one son. There was a severe drought in the land when at God’s word Elijah went to Sidon where he met the woman who was gathering sticks for firewood. He asks her for a drink of water. She was going to get some when he also asked for a small piece of bread. She replies that she has none. She has only some grain and a little oil. With these she is about to make one final attempt at a sparse meal for her son and herself. After that she expects they will die of famine. Elijah tells her to have no fear, but to bake him a small scone from the little she has, promising her that she will not run out of bread or oil before God would send rain on the earth. She took Elijah at his word and all three of them ate of what little she had. And she was left with a constant supply of grain and oil as God had promised through his prophet Elijah. She did what she could. God did the rest.
Our Response is from Psalm 145. It sings praise to our faithful God who provides for us, frees, protects and upholds us and will reign for ever.
The Second Reading is Hebrews 9:24-28. Following the old law, the high priest went into the sanctuary every year to offer a blood sacrifice in atonement for sin. Christ, however, has entered the eternal sanctuary of heaven and has offered his own life’s blood for the forgiveness of sin once and for all. He has done away with sin by his self-sacrifice. Each of us dies once and then comes judgement. When Jesus died he offered himself to take on himself the human burden of sin. When he comes again it will be to welcome into heaven all who await this coming.
THIRTY-THIRD SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME YEAR B
The Gospel Reading, Mark 13:24-32, is part of a long instruction Jesus gave to Peter, James, John and Andrew, warning them of hard days to come. It harks back to “the Day of the Lord” spoken of by the prophet Zephaniah. It is a dramatic reading – his forthcoming death and resurrection signals both the end of the world as they knew it and the beginning of the new creation. And in God’s good time the Son of Man will come with great power and glory and his chosen will be gathered to him in heaven. In the meantime it is for us to be vigilant and learn to read the signs of the times just as we note the signs of the natural world and the changing seasons. When will all this happen? We do not know. Or rather we have already known the beginning of the new life but as for the future, we do not know when it will come to completion – only the Father knows that.
The First Reading is Daniel 12:1-3. It is part of the final chapter of this book of visions and the vision set before us here is of the protection God provides through Michael, the great prince – we call him the archangel. The people will go through a time of great distress, worse than anything they have endured before. God’s people will be spared, however. Their names are written in God’s Book. Those who have died will rise to everlasting life, or to experience shame and disgrace. If they have been wise, or learned, and taught others to be virtuous, they will shine like stars for all eternity. This is a remarkable reading. It is the first evidence in the bible of faith in everlasting life and the fact that we will all account for our actions.
Our Response, from Psalm 15, is a prayer that God will keep us safe. If we trust him to care for us, and live in the awareness of his presence, we will know the fullness of joy and happiness forever.
The Second Reading is Hebrews 10:11-14,18. This is the last reading we shall hear from the Letter to the Hebrews in Year B. It completes the teaching about Christ, the eternal high priest, that we have been considering for the last six weeks. (Next week we will celebrate Christ, the Universal King, as the church year draws to a close.) The comparison is drawn between the daily duties of the Jewish priests, who in carrying out their duties offer sacrifices for sin over and over again, and the one, perfect sacrifice offered by Christ. With this, he has achieved the eternal perfection of all those he makes holy. Since sins have been forgiven there is no further need to offer sacrifice for sins. Christ has now taken his place for ever, at the right hand of God. There he waits until the entire universe comes to acknowledge and accept the forgiveness he has won for all.
OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST, UNIVERSAL KING YEAR B
The Gospel Reading is John 18:33-37 and it recounts the heart of the dialogue between Pilate and Jesus. Before this scene Jesus was taken prisoner and questioned by Annas who sent him, bound, to the house of Caiaphas. They took him then to the Praetorium and handed him over to the Roman Governor. They had decided that Jesus must be killed and only the Governor could pass the death sentence. Pilate is aware that Jesus does not deserve this and has tried to avoid it. Our gospel today centres on whether or not Jesus claims to be a king. Pilate asks him the direct question. “Are you the king of the Jews?” From here on politics overrides justice – Pilate could not ignore such a claim. Jesus challenges him for asking the question. If this is hearsay it is not evidence. Pilate attempts to hide behind Jesus’ own people and the chief priests. He asks another question, “What have you done?” Jesus does not answer this directly but describes his kind of kingdom. A worldly kingdom, he points out, relies on force of arms - “My kingdom is not of this kind.” Pilate ignores what Jesus says about his kind of kingdom and fastens on to the significance of his words. “So you are a king, then?” Jesus does not contradict him. He is a king, born into this world to bear witness to the truth. All who are on the side of truth listen to him. This is the gospel challenge to us today. Can we truly rejoice in the celebration of this solemn feast today without renewing our Christian commitment to be on the side oftruth and to listen to him?
The First Reading, Daniel 7:13-14, follows on a vision he had of beasts that represented four successive empires. Each of these was powerful but did not make an end of God’s chosen people. The final, highly symbolic, vision is given here. Daniel is gazing into the visions of the night and he sees what appears to be a human figure coming on the clouds of heaven. The one of great age symbolises God, the eternal. Into his presence the human figure is led. God makes him the sovereign, giving him glory and making him king. We take this to represent Jesus, who in turn represents his servants from all peoples, nations and languages. He is sovereign for ever and nothing can destroy his empire. It is an awesome reading, chosen for today’s celebration of Christ the King, and it deserves to be proclaimed with wonder.
Our Response, from Psalm 92, affirms our acceptance of the kingship of our Lord and God who is forever and who can always be trusted.
The Second Reading, Apocalypse (also called Revelation) 1:5-8.Christ has died. Christ is risen. Here, Jesus is presented as the faithful witness – the word martyr means witness – and is the universal Ruler, King of all earthly kings. And we are loved, forgiven, of the royal line, and priests, every one of us, to the glory of God. Christ will come again. When he does, all will see him, even those who rejected him, and they will grieve for their actions. He is Alpha and Omega, the first and the last, the Almighty.
