29th Sunday in Ordinary Time in Year B

Readings: Is. 53:10-11; Heb. 4:14-16; Mk. 10:35-45

The Fire, Lord, Not the Scrap Heap

1.     Mark Link, SJ wrote in his Sunday Homilies about Arthur Godfrey who had a sign on his office wall that reads: “The Fire, Lord, not the scrap heap.” The sign reminded Godfrey of a story about a blacksmith who suffered much illness but still maintained a strong faith in God. When unbelievers asked the blacksmith how he could keep trusting God in spite of his illness, he replied: “When I make a tool, I take a piece of iron and put it in the fire. Then I strike it on the anvil to see if it can take temper. If it does, I can make a useful article out of it. If not, I toss it on the scrap heap.” The first reading relates the story of the suffering servant who took the sins of the people upon himself. According to St. Paul “For our sake He (God) made him to be sin who did not know sin, so that we might become the righteousness of God in him.” (2Cor. 5:21). Yes, “Christ died to gather into one the dispersed children of God.” (Jn. 11:52). He is the suffering servant, who came not to condemn the world, but so that the world might be saved through him. He did not conquer the world by might, power, or authority but by serving others with love. “For the Son of Man did not come to be served but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many.” Napoleon once said: “Alexander, Caesar, Charlemagne, and I have founded empires. But on what did we rest the creations of our genius? Upon force! Jesus Christ founded his empire upon love; and at this hour millions of men would die for him. He has won the hearts of men, a task a conqueror cannot do.” Love conquers all things!

2.     Christ’s love for us was not without pains, suffering and death. “The Lord was pleased to crush him in infirmity. If he gives his life as an offering for sin, he shall see his descendants in a long life, and the will of the Lord shall be accomplished through him.” (First reading). Chastisement, punishment, and suffering are part of life. No one enjoys suffering and pains. Christ cried out to his Father on the cross, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” The purpose of suffering is always discovered at the end. It was after his crucifixion that Christ enjoyed his resurrection. Mark Link reminds us that “The crucifixion acts as a dramatic sign of Jesus’ love for us.” It is in suffering that we gain eternal life. As human beings we aspire to a life of greatness while doing everything in our power to avoid suffering.

3.     In the gospel James and John, the sons of Zebedee are demanding for high positions in the kingdom of God. “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 hand the other at your left.” What would you call these two brothers? Selfish, inconsiderate, ambitious, and egocentric? But are we really that different from them? There is something of James and John in all of us. We do not always consider what others think or how they feel so long as we satisfy our ego. We want to lead the parade; be in charge and give instructions to others. We don’t always like to serve, but we don’t mind being served. Like I have said before, authority in the church means service. We must learn to be available to serve others. We are called to be servant leaders.

4.     In answer to James and John and indeed to the apostles, Christ exhorted them to be different. “You know, among the pagans, their so-called rulers lord it over them and their great men make their authority felt, this is not to happen among you. Whoever wishes to be great among you will be your servant; whoever wishes to be first among you will be the slave of all. For the Son of Man did not come to be served but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many.” (Mk. 10:43-45). As disciples of Jesus, we must follow Christ in his love for all God’s children and shun the ways of the world. We must love and serve even the unapproachable managers, the angry teachers, the authoritarian principals, the power-hungry politicians, and those who are shamefully scheming to capture power by all means. Let us learn the true meaning of power and authority - to serve in love and charity.

   5. The followers of Christ are called to avoid the disordered path to greatness. Christ invited the brothers to think of greatness in terms of suffering. “Can you drink the cup that I drink or be baptized with the baptism with which I am baptized?” Christ referred them to his imminent death. If they want to be leaders, they must be prepared to suffer martyrdom. The reward of greatness is given by God alone, and the disciples must work hard to deserve it. The James and John in us push us to be lords and kings, while the Jesus in us calls us to be servant leaders. We pray that we may not shy away from suffering that comes from God in our service of love. “For the Lord reproves him whom he loves, as a father the son in whom he delights” (Prov. 3:11-12). Amen.

Rev. Augustine Etemma Inwang, MSP.