24th Sunday of Ordinary Time, Cycle B
Prayer
Father, we believe that Jesus Christ is your Only Begotten Son and, through Him, we have eternal life. By the power of the Holy Spirit, who makes Christ known, may we always abide in your love and find our place with You in heaven. We ask this through Christ Our Lord, Amen.
Commentary
1st Reading: Isaiah 50:4-9
Last week, the prophecy of Isaiah about the many miracles occurring when the Lord appears tied nicely with the Gospel. This week, Isaiah’s
prophetic vision again fits our Gospel passage.
Isaiah speaks of a suffering servant of God who gladly goes to his death to give honor to God. Before he dies, he will be humiliated and beaten. However, this suffering servant will be vindicated: “The Lord God is my help … I shall not be put to shame.”
Also proclaimed on Good Friday, this passage of Isaiah is offered this week to help explain the identity of Christ in the Gospel. Jesus will ask, “Who do people say that I am?” While we understand Him to be the Messiah (king), Isaiah is proposing that the king to come will be a suffering servant-Messiah.
As we recall from last week’s review, God has stepped down from His throne to become one with us. His next throne will be the cross.
Question:
Typically, do you direct your prayer (a) to God above or (b) to the Father through Christ on the cross?
2nd Reading: James 2:14-18
Over these 6 weeks, as we to study the identity of Christ, we also take time to study our own selves. Who are we as Christians in relation to Christ?
The Letter of St. James does not allow us to claim Christ as a suffering- servant if we ourselves do not lift a finger to serve others. He challenges us to rely not only on our intellectual faith in the Lord, but to willfully follow the Lord as fellow servants in His kingdom. If we are called to be co-heirs to His kingdom, we must serve as He has served.
Thus, faith is more than the assent of our intellect. Anyone can say, “Jesus is Lord.” However, unless we have an assent of the will — responding to Jesus’ command to love enemies, shelter the homeless, carry our cross daily, etc. — our faith is lacking:
“If someone says he has faith but does not have works, can that faith save him?”
To be a true Christian requires the full assent of our faith: intellectual assent (Professing that Jesus is Lord) and willful assent (works).
Question:
Outwardly, what does your faith look like?
Gospel: Mark 8:27-35
“Who do people say that I am?” It is no mistake that Jesus poses this question as they head toward the villages of Caesarea Philippi. Named by Phillip II in 14 AD to honor himself (Phillip the Tetrarch) and Caesar Augustus.
The word “Caesar” in Latin means king. Naturally, Jesus’ seizes this opportunity to bring up the concept of kingship as they come upon this territory. When Jesus poses the question of His identity, Peter gives the correct answer: “You are the Christ.” The word “Christ” in Greek also means king. Jesus does not deny this answer but, wanting to keep this a secret, orders them not to tell anyone about Him.
Immediately, Jesus begins to teach what kind of king He will be. Fulfilling the prophecy of Isaiah, Jesus will be a suffering-servant who “must suffer greatly … be rejected … and be killed.” Unlike Caesar or Philip II the Tetrarch,
Jesus will not honor Himself. As our king, He will suffer for us. But, as Isaiah foretold, Jesus would be vindicated. Jesus tells them that He will “rise after three days.”
Peter does not grasp the Lord’s notion of kingship and decides to correct Him. Peter assumed Jesus to be a warrior king, like Caesar, but even stronger. Jesus’ response is quick, “Get behind me Satan.” (Satan means adversary). Once again, Jesus reminds the disciples that if they should be co-heirs to the kingdom, they too must deny any self-honors, take up their crosses, and follow His way of kingship.
Question:
What kind of king would you prefer Jesus to be for you?
This Week’s Task
Count the times in your day you expect recognition.
Count the times in that same day you recognize others.
Group Prayer
The group offers this prayer from St. Ignatius of Loyola:
Take, Lord, and receive all my liberty,
my memory, my understanding and my entire will,
All I have and call my own.
You have given all to me.
To you, Lord, I return it.
Everything is yours; do with it what you will.
Give me only your love and your grace.
That is enough for me.
Continue with Psalm 116.
Psalm
Response: I will walk before the Lord, in the land of the living.
I love the LORD because he has heard my voice in supplication,
Because he has inclined his ear to me the day I called.
R. I will walk before the Lord, in the land of the living.
The cords of death encompassed me;
the snares of the netherworld seized upon me;
I fell into distress and sorrow,
And I called upon the name of the LORD, “O LORD, save my life!”
R. I will walk before the Lord, in the land of the living.
Gracious is the LORD and just; yes, our God is merciful.
The LORD keeps the little ones;
I was brought low, and he saved me.
R. I will walk before the Lord, in the land of the living.
For he has freed my soul from death,
my eyes from tears, my feet from stumbling.
I shall walk before the Lord
in the land of the living.
R. I will walk before the Lord, in the land of the living.
Conclude with an Our Father
Used with permission. All rights reserved. Christ in Our Neighborhood is a Scripture program designed by Bishop John P. Dolan of the Diocese of Phoenix.