Friends,
Our readings this Sunday focus on wisdom using different viewpoints: Testing plans by the evil ones, Cry to God, Righteous prayer, and Service with humility.
The first reading highlights the prophecy of the Lord’s passion and the evil people who are contempt for the righteous and make evil plans against them. The cry of the honest person is expressed in the psalm, seeking God’s protection from all the surrounding threats. The cry is directed to the Lord because he is a helper and upholds life.
The second reading warns us against evil ambitions that cause division and rivalry. Instead, we should seek wisdom from above. Such wisdom desires humility and not glory and thus brings peace. Prayer is necessary to attain such understanding. This kind of wisdom seems to lack for the disciples arguing which of them is the greatest.
In the Gospel, Jesus announces his passion, death, and resurrection for the second time. He did this while still on the way with his disciples. This way will bring them to Jerusalem, where all the prophesies will come true. Despite the announcement, the disciples struggle to know what he tells them regarding his sufferings, death, and resurrection. In some sense, we also find ourselves in the same situation of struggle to know and understand who Jesus is. Last Sunday, he asked us whom do we say he is? And today, the true sense of Jesus’ messianic identity is revealed as one who will suffer, die, and rise. When this sense of knowing Jesus’ messianic approach penetrates the depths of our hearts, then, there lies our greatness.
Christian Action this week: Find greatness in humility like a bit of a child and promote peace around you.
Joy and peace.
