25th Sunday in Ordinary Time Year B Theme: Servant Leader

25th Sunday in Ordinary Time year B 23-09-12 Theme: Serving Leader 1st Reading Wis 2:12,17-20 Forbearance explained 2nd Reading Jas 3:16-4:3 cause of disunity. Gospel: Mk 9:30-37 Prophesy of Passion Christ came precisely to give new orientation to our lives. This he did all through his public ministry. He went preaching teaching curing, feeding and doing good all the time. All wondered at the pace of his public activity. He went to other villages when in one village they did not accept him. Eventually he was murdered because he was a threat to the leaders in the social milieu he lived. We are living in the modern world, where we have various types of leaders. The Religious, political, industrial and social leaders govern us in our day to day lives. We have various types of political, cultural, social and religious systems which govern to mould our lives Jesus has taught us to be leaders with out any ulterior motives. Today we have heard in the Eucharist we have come to attend and heard three readings one from the OT two from the New Testament. The first one taken from the book of wisdom speaks about evil men lurking in wait to implement their evil tendencies. We see this happening even today. The poorest of the poor suffer at the hands of rich and mighty. They often do not get justice in the hands of the leaders they have to depend upon. When Jesus arrived on the scene of the religious life in the Jewish community there was a rottenness in the lives of the whole system. He tried to bring about a change the life of people. Some liked his teaching some plotted against him. We see in the second reading in the life of the church there was always a type of division. We see one factions fighting for upper hand with anther faction. St. James tries to highlight this in his letter. We see this happen even today in our communities. Though we speak about the equality of social status to all there are still divisions. Due to rich and poor educated and uneducated, with the young and old, liberal and traditional types of people. We find Jesus too had to challenge the system. He had his disciples always with him. He had been telling them that he has to suffer and die. But death is not the end. But the prevailing idea of power and glory had contaminated every ones mind. Even the disciples were not exempt from such evil. Therefore they were always looking for power and position. Quietly they began to discuss this among themselves. Jesus realizes this and questions them. They do not answer. He takes a child and tells them they have to be like a child to enter into heaven. The little children are the best means of educating people in the complicate matters The children are transparent in their behavior. We know this sort of transparency can come only if God comes to our lives. We have to listen to the warning Jesus gives to us in his disciples about worldly power. As people who have been invested with the gift of faith we can be a witness of God’s love and mercy. In our service let us always be keeping the ideal Jesus has set before us. We have to make ourselves least in the kingdom of Heaven. Wishing you all the best In union with the divine word, Fr. Juze Vas svd s