Twenty-Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time, September 22, 2024
‘WHAT’S YOUR UNDERSTANDING OF THE KINGDOM OF GOD’
During this part of the liturgical season of Ordinary time, the gospel comes from Mark. It is considered to be the first gospel written about the year 70 A.D. Mark was closely connected to many of the church leaders in Jerusalem. Persecution of the early church members in Rome at the time Mark wrote his gospel was widespread, and life for the Christians in Jerusalem was one of persecution. They had revolted against Roman authority and occupation in Israel and the Romans were harsh conquerers. The center of Jewish faith, the temple of Jerusalem, was burned, the city was destroyed, there was utter desolation, and the people had a feeling that God had abandoned them. The people needed hope and encouragement, and found it in Mark’s gospel. That gospel explained that Jesus of Nazareth, the son of God, would lead them into a time of peace and prosperity; that the kingdom of God, central to the teaching of Jesus, was at hand; and the path to membership in that kingdom required repentance and belief in Jesus, as the long awaited Messiah.
The kingdom of God was not understood very well by the people nor even by the inner circles of Jesus followers, the disciples. In the gospel a week ago we see that Peter did not accept the teaching of Jesus on this, causing Jesus to say to Peter ‘you are like Satan, get behind me, you are not thinking like God but like humans.’
In this week’s segment of Mark’s gospel we find Jesus taking his disciples aside to help them understand who he was. They misunderstood the meaning of the kingdom he had announced. He would not be a glorious leader, he would have to suffer and die, and three days later he would be raised from the dead. Most likely they did not grasp what he was telling them. When he asked what they were discussing on their way and he learned that they were speculating as to who among them would be the greatest. He repeated some of what he had already told them telling them that ‘if anyone wants to be first, he must make himself the last of all and the servant of all.’ He pointed to a child saying ‘they needed a child-like faith in order to accept him, and with that they would accept the father’s love. In practice that would include placing God at the center of their lives, and loving and serving other people.
Our second reading today, and for the past few weeks, from St James (written about the same era as Mark’s gospel) focuses on the relationship and love among believers. He identifies the attitudes that result in lack of care and also broken relationships, such as jealousy and ambition. These lead to evil actions. By contrast if ones attitudes and inner spirit are right and godly, these lead to kindness and compassion and never lead to hypocracy and division in the Christian community. This teaching leaves no doubt that if our attitudes and heart and mind are based on Jesus’s teaching they will never lead to evil behavior.
APPLICATIONS
If you have a relationship with God the father, what does that look like, and how might you explain it to a friend or family member?
Most believers participate in religious activity and church rituals. How do you express and strengthen your faith?
The ‘kingdom of God’ announced by Jesus. In what way do you experience this and express it in your life?
Are there attitudes and/or behaviors in our lives that Jesus might observe as the ‘not thinking like God but like humans’.
[Presented by Father David O’Connor, EMAIL: doconnor.natchez@gmail.com]
Father David O'Connor 10 Morgantown Road Natchez, MS 39120-2788
