Friends, this Sunday we celebrate “World Mission Sunday.” When we think of missions, we might tend to think of people going to other places. We are invited to support the young mission dioceses in Africa, Asia, the Pacific Islands, and beyond through our prayers and our second collection today. The readings of today’s twenty-ninth Sunday in Ordinary Time Year b remind us of our call to serve others with humility. Jesus’s example of suffering, priesthood, and service guides us in our journey of faith. May we embrace these lessons and strive to follow Him more closely each day. Lord Jesus, help us to follow Your example of humble service. Teach us to love others as You love us. Give us the strength to serve selflessly and seek Your Kingdom above all.
Friends, men naturally want to be winners, never losers; they try to rule the others, not to serve them. But God’s ways are the exact opposite and in the Old Testament, he gives men the example of the faithful servant to teach his people to accept the logic of the giving up of one’s life. What in the eyes of people is failure, for God is success. It is through self-sacrifice, suffering, and self-giving that he achieves salvation. Just because he is the victim of hate, injustice, and violence, the servant frees even his persecutors from their iniquities. Brothers and sisters, this servant takes on pain and sorrow to bring healing and forgiveness.
Friends, the first reading of today points to Jesus, who willingly suffered to save us from our sins. Jesus’s suffering was not in vain. By His wounds, we are healed. His sacrifice shows the depth of His love for us and calls us to love others in the same way. Brothers and sisters, we are called to bear one another’s burdens and share in their suffering. In our lives, we will face challenges and suffering. Following Jesus’s example, we should embrace these moments as opportunities to grow in love and service. By doing so, we reflect the love of Christ to those around us.
Friends, the second reading of today tells us how Christ can well understand our weakness because he was tempted like us, and the only difference was that while we are unfaithful, he never sinned. Brothers and sisters, this is very consoling and reassuring for us, that Jesus is very close to us, and very mindful of our problems. He did not just pretend to be a man, he was one, he went through the same difficulties that we encounter and therefore he knows how difficult it is to remain faithful to God, particularly when we are afflicted by pain and sorrow.
Friends, Jesus understands our weaknesses because He faced the same temptations. Because of this, we can approach God with confidence, knowing we will receive mercy. Jesus is not distant or unapproachable. He knows what it is like to be human. He sympathizes with our struggles and is always ready to help us. We are encouraged to draw near to God in prayer. Trusting in Jesus’s understanding and mercy, we can find strength and grace in our times of need. Jesus, our high priest, bridges the gap between us and God.
Friends, today’s gospel is an account of the petition of James and John, “Teacher, we want you to do for us whatever we ask of you. Grant that in your glory we may sit one at your right and the other at your left.” This was a very ambitious request. However, Christ simply responded, by reminding them of the implication of their request; “Can you drink the chalice that I am going to drink?” Of course, they responded, “We can.” Brothers and sisters, through his dialogue with his disciples, Jesus opens our eyes to the realities ahead of us. By asking them; “Can you drink the cup that I must drink or be baptized with the baptism with which I must be baptized,” Jesus reminds us of the challenges ahead of us. Friends, mission is service and sacrifice rendered in love for the salvation of all people. This love comes with patience and docility to the will of God. It begins by transforming us into a great instrument for the salvation of others. Today Christ teaches us that to be great is to be ready to serve and to make sacrifices for others. The voice of salvation continues to call us to be more faithful to God’s mission. It reminds us of the great challenges before us today. This includes our changing cultures, societies, and lifestyles that must be urgently evangelized and redeemed.
Friends, James and John ask Jesus for positions of honor. Jesus teaches them that true greatness comes from serving others. He came not to be served but to serve and give His life to many. Jesus’s response turns worldly ideas of power and authority upside down. True leadership in the Kingdom of God is about humility and service, not seeking honor for oneself. Jesus calls us to follow His example. This lesson challenges us to examine our desires and ambitions. Are we seeking personal glory, or are we willing to serve others selflessly? True greatness is found in humility and service, as shown by Jesus.
Friends, the good news is that we can overcome these challenges through the spirit of sacrifice and love. So, amid all these challenges, we must find consolation in these words from the letter to Hebrews 4:16; “Let us be confident, then in approaching the throne of grace, that we shall find mercy and grace when we are in need of help.” This grace is sufficient for us to accomplish God’s mission. Therefore, with the psalmist, let us pray; “Lord, let your love be upon us, as we place our trust in you.” The Lord be with you …. May the almighty God bless you, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Have a Blessed Sunday and a Fruitful New Week to You
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By: Fr. Ben Chola mccj
Aka Omuntu Wa Bantu