First Reading: Wisdom 2:12, 17-20

Reflection:

This Sunday’s Old Testament reading should immediately bring to mind the Passion of Jesus. This prophecy was likely written within one hundred years before Jesus died on the cross and is clearly fulfilled in him. In fact, in the Passion narrative we see the “wicked” (those who oppose Jesus) saying and doing just what the author of Wisdom records. Jesus is “the just one,” who is also “the son of God.” Because of his justice and righteousness, the wicked considered Jesus and his teachings to be “obnoxious” and in opposition to their own agenda. They could not grasp his message because they were so stuck in their wicked ways. They rejected him even to the point of crucifying him. They reviled and tortured Him and condemned Him to a “shameful death” in order to test him. Their perception was that if he truly was the “Son of God” that God would save him from his foes. But Jesus was not spared from torture and death. Rather, he chose to suffer for our salvation. The fact that God did not save Jesus from death does not discredit Jesus’ identity but, rather, confirms it. Jesus came for the purpose of suffering and dying for our sins. So to be spared from it would be to opt out of his mission. And, in the end, the identity of Jesus as God in the flesh was proven by the resurrection. Jesus conquered the wickedness of this world in order to offer us salvation.

Second Reading: James 3:16—4:3

Reflection:

Sin always divides. It creates disorder in our lives and splinters our relationships with God and other people. James mentions jealousy and selfish ambition in particular. These vices are often at the core of other sins. Selfish ambition is when we make ourselves the center of our lives. This is what we could call the religion of “me.” We make ourselves out to be our own sort of god, around which everything else revolves. As good as this may sound, it is a disordered life and will never bring true happiness and fulfillment. In fact, it can lead to a whole list of problems and conflicts. As the well-known saying goes, “Pride comes before the fall.” A life of selfish ambition and a “give me” attitude leads to things falling apart. It leads to a life that is not full of peace and wisdom, joy and purpose. Only a life rightly ordered toward God can truly bring fulfillment in life. When thinking about priorities, consider this: Jesus, first; Others, second; You, third. That’s how JOY is spelled. The acronym makes it easy to remember, but it’s harder to live out. The more we can order our lives in this way, making God at the center, the more joy we will find in life.

Gospel Reading: Mark 9:30-37

Reflection:

In the first part of this Sunday’s gospel reading we hear Jesus beginning to speak to His followers about his coming Passion. Jesus knows that He will suffer and die. That, in fact, was the reason He came to earth. But that is not what His followers expected. In fact, they could not even fathom it. They expected a messiah who would be more of a political and military leader. They expected someone who would save them from the oppression of the Romans, not be killed by those very oppressors. Thus, even His closest followers “did not understand” what Jesus was talking about when He spoke of His death and resurrection. In fact, their misperception was evidenced by their conversation on the way to Capernaum. As the narrator explains, “They had been discussing among themselves on the way who was the greatest.” This shows they were concerned with the things of this world. They were expecting Jesus to establish a worldly kingdom and were focused on who would be the greatest among them in that kingdom. They looked at greatness through the eyes of world, not through the eyes of God. The world says that greatness is defined by having a prominent position, being successful, having a lot of money, being powerful, and more. But those things don’t define greatness in God’s eyes. Jesus used care for a child as an illustration. It is not in trampling over others and having a “whatever it takes” mentality that we become great. It is in how we treat the most vulnerable in society that truly defines our greatness. It is, in fact, in putting others before ourselves that we can become great. For the first shall be last and the last shall be first.

Application:

  • Do you feel like there is disorder in your life? Take a step back and look at your priorities. What is at the center of your life? What is most important to you? Is it money, success, your job, your family, or something else? All of these things are good, but they are not the ultimate good. Only in having God at the center of our lives can we find true happiness. What steps do you need to take to have better priorities, placing Jesus first, Others second, and Yourself third (JOY)?