25thSUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME (CycleB) 23September 2018

GOSPEL TEXT:MARK 9:30 – 37

Theme: SERVANT OF ALL
I. Opening Prayer

Jesus and his disciples left from there and began a journey through Galilee,
but he did not wish anyone to know about it.
He was teaching his disciples and telling them,
“The Son of Man is to be handed over to men
and they will kill him,
and three days after his death the Son of Man will rise.”
But they did not understand the saying,
and they were afraid to question him.

They came to Capernaum and, once inside the house,

he began to ask them,
“What were you arguing about on the way?”
But they remained silent.
They had been discussing among themselves on the way
who was the greatest.
Then he sat down, called the Twelve, and said to them,
“If anyone wishes to be first,
he shall be the last of all and the servant of all.”
Taking a child, he placed it in their midst,
and putting his arms around it, he said to them,
“Whoever receives one child such as this in my name, receives me;
and whoever receives me,
receives not me but the One who sent me.”

Lord Jesus, in total humility, You have shown us how to serve. Free us from the corruption brought about by self-
centeredness and deception so that our service may be authentic now and always. Amen.
II. Key Points
vv30b-32 The Son of man will be delivered into the hands of men, and they will kill him; … But they did not understand
the saying—the disciples’ ignorance of the mystery of the cross was reinforced by their worldly perspective of the
Messiah
v34 they were silent; for on the way they had discussed with one another who was the greatest—the desire for glory was
a temptation that the disciples had to wrestle with among themselves
v35 And he sat down and called the twelve; and he said to them, "If any one would be first, he must be last of all and
servant of all."—Jesus’ message was delivered with the action of sitting down to level off with his disciples in
understanding and accepting genuine humility and service
v36 he took a child, and put him in the midst of them; and taking him in his arms—Jesus persuaded his disciples to
embrace humility and service with the image of a child who is free from envy and vain glory; the lowly are worthy of
God’s embrace and love
v37 Whoever receives one such child in my name receives me…—Jesus must be received with openness and warmth,
without condition and pretense
III. Reflection/Deepening

The call to serve has been a constant invitation for all. Whether at home, in the workplace or in the larger community
(parish), there have been invitations for us to make ourselves available to offer service.
However, there has been a great temptation to be preoccupied, whether consciously or unconsciously, with the
agenda for self-aggrandizement. And the effort to seek glory often comes with the evil intent to compare and compete
with others.
The Lord’s invitation is to bear the mystery of the cross in a life of service. To do this is to receive the image of a child
by emptying oneself from envy and vain glory and by making oneself available to serve the Lord with openness and
warmth. The joy of serving is found in one who has embraced work and sacrifice with total humility and without
condition and deception—it is then that the cross of Christ is embraced.

IV. Sharing Guide:

 In what ministry or service at home or in my community can I make myself available?