THE IMPORT OF SERVICE AND SACRIFICE

 

Homily for the Twenty-Ninth Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year B

Fr. Ugochukwu Ugwoke (Schoenstatt Fathers)

Scriptural Texts: Isaiah 53:10-11; Hebrews 4:14-16; Mark 10:35-45

 

Five Sundays ago, we read from the gospel passage where Jesus was asking his disciples who they themselves and the people think that the Son of Man is (Mark 8:27-35). We will recall that after they had given different opinions of who the people presume that Jesus is, it was Peter who speaking in the name of the other disciples, said that Jesus is the Christ. Surely, Peter answered correctly but not with a clear understanding of what his answer entailed. Jesus is the Christ but Peter and the rest of the disciples did not understand what that appellation meant. That is why each time Jesus predicted his death, his disciples failed to understand or to respond appropriately (Mark 8:31-33; Mark 9:30-37; Mark 10:33-45). The same is the case in the gospel reading of today when for the third time, Jesus predicted his passion (Mark 10:33-37).

As the Christ, Jesus is the Anointed One, the promised Messiah who has come to liberate the people of Israel. As the liberator, the apostles expected him to be the kind of Messiah who would ride in with brandished sword to drive out their foreign dominators. They did not expect that he will be a Messiah that would rather suffer and die. They saw Jesus as the one who has come to conquer, to dominate and to rule in a political manner. As such, the favor which the two sons of Zebedee, James and John, sought from Jesus in the gospel reading of today is also borne out of their understanding that Jesus is a political Messiah. They were asking for seats of honor and positions of authority at the banquets of the Kingdom which Jesus would soon establish.

Jesus is the Messiah who has come to save us but not through physical power and might but through his suffering and death on the cross. The greatness and exaltation of the Servant did not come from victory but from a well of deep sorrow, suffering and humiliation. No other biblical writer paints a better picture than Isaiah of the Christ who suffered silently for our sins. In the Four “Servant Songs” which happens to be part of our today’s first reading, Isaiah describes the service, suffering and exaltation of the Servant of the Lord, the Messiah. The first reading (Is. 53) seems like a direct account of the passion of Jesus. The songs portray the Messiah as God’s meek and gentle servant. And so, the authority of Jesus is in loving service. It is in silence. It is in quietness. It is in accepting to serve, to suffer and to die for the sake of others (Luke 13:34; John 1:10-11; Matthew 27:46; John 19:34; 1 Peter 2:24). As the author of the letter to the Hebrews says, Jesus received the punishment we deserved and became for us the ultimate and perfect sacrifice (Hebrews 10:10).

Dear friend, the readings of today remind us that there is dignity in service and suffering. Suffering can be redemptive if it is accepted in a spirit of oblation and service. What the two sons of Zebedee did not understand is that glory, power and honor come from silent and humble service and not from positions of honor and authority. To serve requires two important attributes: the spirit of humility and that of sacrifice. In serving, we become not the first but the last and the servant of all. To serve is not to lord it over others. To serve is to give oneself as a ransom for others (Mark 10:28-30). Are our today’s leaders really serving like Christ? Service for the sake of personal profit, prestige, praise, awards, applause and recognition is a disservice.

Lastly, let us learn to accept the sufferings, hardships, setbacks and difficulties that come to us in our day to day life because through them, we shall gain victory. Also, in different positions that we find ourselves, let us imitate Jesus who came not to be served but to serve. Let us not wait for opportunities to serve but look for the opportunity to serve because in serving others, we become great.