Today's Gospel Reading - Sunday, October 21, 2012 with Reflection

1^ST READING - Isaiah 53:10-11

P S A L M - Psalm 33:4-5, 18-19, 20, 22

R: Lord, let your mercy be on us, as we place our trust in you.

4 Upright is the word of the Lord, and all his works are trustworthy.5 He loves justice and right; of the kindness of the Lord the earth is full. (R) 18 See, the eyes of the Lord are upon those who fear him, upon those who hope for his kindness, 19 to deliver them from death and preserve them in spite of famine. (R) 20 Our soul waits for the Lord, who is our help and our shield. 22 May your kindness, O Lord, be upon us who have put our hope in you. (R)

2^ND READING - Hebrews 4:14-16

GOSPEL ACCLAMATION

The Son of Man came to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many.

 

Mark 10:35-45

35 James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came to Jesus and said to him, “Teacher, we want you to do for us whatever we ask of you.” 36 He replied, “What do you wish me to do for you?” 37 They answered him, “Grant that in your glory we may sit one at your right and the other at your left.” 38 Jesus said to them, “You do not know what you are asking. Can you drink the cup that I drink or be baptized with the baptism with which I am baptized?” 39 They said to him, “We can.” Jesus said to them, “The cup that I drink, you will drink, and with the baptism with which I am baptized, you will be baptized; 40 but to sit at my right or at my left is not mine to give but is for those for whom it has been prepared.” 41 When the ten heard this, they became indignant at James and John. 42Jesus summoned them and said to them, “You know that those who are recognized as rulers over the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones make their authority over them felt. 43 But it shall not be so among you. Rather, whoever wishes to be great among you will be your servant; 44 whoever wishes to be first among you will be the slave of all. 45 For the Son of Man did not come to be served but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

SABBATH

DO WE HAVE WHAT IT TAKES?   Years ago, I headed what we call a “major climb” to the Philippines’ second highest peak. At the last minute, someone from the US turned up and said he wanted to join. He just planed in and was pretty well stocked with imported and very fine gear. They were impressive, to say the least, during those days when imported products were as rare as they were expensive. He said he was very physically in shape so I waived the usual pre-climb requirements that included resistance-building, long-distance runs and all. It didn’t take long for us to realize he was not at all prepared. He was as out of shape as a flat tire. At a particularly precipitous and dangerous portion of the climb, he was paralyzed in fear and terror. He wouldn’t budge and was spreading fear to the rest of the team, including myself. I should have known better to ask, “Do you have what it takes?” I should have taken stock of what he was really prepared to do. Taking stock of what’s coming — this appears to me as part of what the Lord teaches today. Two upstarts, the brothers James and John, as ambitious as they were pretentious, asked the Lord for the ultimate: a seat at His right and at His left. Those must have been the times when the two youthful would-be disciples didn’t quite know yet what was coming to them, and what the demands were. They simply wanted the rewards without knowing the requirements. My years in leadership have taught me this. Not everyone who claims he is up to the job is actually ready for it. I have interviewed many teachers who wanted to teach. There were those who claimed they could but eventually could not deliver. They were simply not cut out for the job. Discipleship is difficult. It is no accident that the word disciple is really related to the word discipline. You need it to become one. We claim to be disciples of the Lord. Do we have what it takes? “Can you drink the cup that I drink?” Fr. Chito Dimaranan, SDB   REFLECTION QUESTION: What discipline do you need to follow Jesus more ardently and faithfully?   Lord Jesus, on my own I cannot be Your faithful disciple. Only Your grace can turn me into one. Help me each day to follow You as best as I can. St. Hilarion, pray for us. Do you want to receive this in your email? To get Bo Sanchez to send it to you personally, log-on to http://kerygmafamily.com. Lots of surprises await.