Twenty-fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time Year B 19th September 2021
Lectionary Readings: Jeremiah 11 v18-20; Psalm 54; James 3 v13-4 v3, 7-8a; Mark 9 v30-37.
Welcome
Jesus said, “When you welcome even a child because of me, you welcome me. And when you welcome me, you welcome the one who sent me.” (Mark 9 v37).
Jesus was responding to his disciples desire for recognition, honour and status. (see v 33-35).
Jesus placed a young child in front of the disciples, someone who was a dependent, a non wage earner, a person of no economic or social standing and a person whose views and opinions were routinely disregarded by male adult members of society.
Jesus was challenging his disciples to think about the kingdom values he had taught them and to contrast them with the values of their contemporary society.
Jesus said that if because of their loyalty to him and the kingdom values he taught, they welcomed another person, even a lowly child, into the family of God, they would also be welcoming God. Their desire for recognition, honour and status would be satisfied by the embrace of the most honoured guest they would ever encounter.
Jesus taught that we are all made in the image of God, all equally loved and everyone equipped with gifts and talents to contribute to the good of society. If the disciples wanted to belong to God’s kingdom, they would have to adopt kingdom ways of living and relating to each other.
Honour, wealth and status within contemporary society counts for nothing compared with the love of God and membership of his kingdom.
Jesus said, “If you want a place of honour, you must become a slave and serve others!” (v35b).
Bernadette Farrell, captures this message in her hymn ‘Longing for Light’ (Singing the Faith, 706, v1,5)
Longing for light, we wait in darkness.
Longing for truth, we turn to you.
Make us your own, your holy people,
light for the world to see.
Christ be our light!
Shine in our hearts.
Shine through the darkness.
Christ be our light!
Shine in your Church gathered today.
Many the gifts, many the people,
many the hearts that yearn to belong.
Let us be servants to one another,
making your kingdom come.
Bible quotations taken from the Contemporary English Version.