Oct-17 Liturgical Study Twenty-ninth Sunday

 

Twenty-ninth Sunday in Ordinary time

Isaiah 53

Isaiah 53:4-12 belongs to the final and longest of the so-called “Songs of the servant” written during the Babylonian exile of the early 6th century BCE. In these poetic passages an unnamed figure suffers on behalf of Israel. He silently receives brutal punishment from God, and it results in redemption, joy, and reward.  

“For the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life a ransom for many” (Mark 10:45; cf. Isaiah 53:11).

The fact that God the Father chose for his only begotten Son to suffer and die on the cross for the redemption of Mankind has been seen by some as unfathomable. Could he not have found a better solution? Alas, who are we to question the wisdom and ways of the Almighty.

The sufferings of Jesus, the sinless servant, are not by chance or fate, or even the wickedness of his persecutors, but due to the absolute will of God the Father.

It pleased God to put Him to death so that His plans and purposes for man individually and humanity collectively could be redeemed – by faith, in Christ alone, so that in the ages to come He might show forth the incomparable riches of His grace, expressed in His kindness to us in Christ Jesus - so that we individually and all the saints collectively will join with the choirs of heaven to sing forth His praise to the glory of God for evermore, Amen.

Psalm 33

Scholars debate whether or not this psalm, found in Book One of the collection, is pre or post exilic; whether it is truly a psalm of David or a song that emerged out of a nation that learned the frailty of placing its hope in kings or military might.

It follows the 3-fold concept of prayer: rejoice, praise and hope - even as we wait for the day of Judgement.

Hebrews 4:14-16

A large portion of Hebrews is dedicated to laying out the advantages of having Jesus, the Son, as our mediator—our “inside man”—with God the Father. Jesus’ human status, including his having experienced suffering and death, has enabled him to save humankind. Jesus as our high priest offered the most effective, single sacrifice where the sins that separated people from God’s full presence were concerned, opening for all who believe in him the way into the eternal Holy Place, God’s eternal kingdom which Jesus has now entered.

Gospel Mark 10:35-45

James’ and John's request to Jesus shows how little they have learned, they may have been thinking of something along the lines of being with Jesus in glory like Moses and Elijah were at the Transfiguration. Instead of acknowledging Jesus’ anticipation of suffering and death, they imagine a triumphant, regal scene with them sitting in positions of honor and power at King Jesus’ right and left.

Jesus accepts that they are ready to follow him. By the time that Gospel of Mark is written, James will have been killed by Herod Agrippa I in 44 C.E. for his role as a leader in the Jerusalem church. 

Jesus has to call the apostles together and tries to describe how the dominion of God is different from the dominions of the world. Jesus pushes matters to an extreme, however, when he goes on to say that to be first is to be a slave (doulos) of all. Slaves were at the bottom of the social ladder, and there was no honor or reward in working for others as a slave.