12 September 2021: Twenty-fourth Sunday in Ordinary time B

Reading 1	Response	Reading 2	Gospel
Is 50:5-9a	Ps 116:1-2, 3-4, 5-6, 8-9	Jas 2:14-18	Mk 8:27-35
RCL: Is 50:4-9		RCL: Jas 3:16—4:3

Discipleship: faithfulness to Jesus and his mission

During Ordinary time the Lectionary presents stories and teachings from Jesus’ everyday ministry. This week’s readings focus on the reality of discipleship.

First reading (Is 50:5-9a)

The first reading is from the prophet Isaiah’s third “servant song.” This Isaiah is the second or Deutero-Isaiah, who speaks God’s word to the Jewish exiles in Babylon. In today’s pericope, Isaiah faithfully accepts the responsibility of his calling (“I have not rebelled, have not turned back”), even when his hearers reject God’s message. Although Isaiah seeks to console the exiles, many hearers would have considered his vision of restoration a pipe dream; this is why his hearers mock, insult (“buffets and spitting”), and even rough up (“beat me”) the prophet. Because the prophet speaks for and is supported by God (“God is my help”), he does not feel shamed by this public humiliation. Rather, Isaiah is vindicated by God’s support (“He is near”). The Lectionary editors chose this reading because the prophet’s violent rejection echoes Jesus’ passion prediction in today’s gospel.

Second reading (Jas 2:14-18)

The second reading continues Ordinary time’s semi-continuous reading from the letter of James. This letter’s message to disciples is to “be doers of the word and not hearers only” (Jas 1:22). In today’s pericope, the author exhorts the believing community to put their faith into action. A faith based on only a profession of faith or on only ritual practices cannot save (“faith that does not have works is dead”). The author gives an example of a better-off community member responding to a poor community member with a prayer (“go in peace”) and good wishes (“keep warm, eat well”), but does nothing to help. This comfortable and clueless disciple misses Jesus’ central message to love the neighbor, as well as the Hebrew prophets’ message to care for community members. For a disciple, faith is necessary, but not sufficient. A disciple has to be a “doer” of faith whose living faith shows itself in works. The Lectionary editors chose this reading as part Ordinary time’s semi-continuous reading from James.

Gospel (Mk 8:27-35)

Scholars divide Mark’s gospel into three parts. The first part (Mk 1:1—8:26) emphasizes Jesus’ authority in his teaching and mighty works, and highlights the misunderstandings and rejections of Jesus. The second part (Mk 8:27—10:45) clarifies who Jesus is (identity and christology) and what it means to follow Jesus (discipleship). The third part (Mk 10:46—16:8) is the account of Jesus’ passion, death, and resurrection. Today’s pericope is the turning point, or hinge, between parts one and two: the start of Jesus’ “way” or “journey” from Caesarea Philippi (Mk 8:27) to Jerusalem (Mk 10:45). This journey is not simply a travelogue but a spiritual journey, during which the disciples (and Mark’s hearers) face the mystery of the cross and the implications of discipleship.

• Jesus’ question. “Who do you say I am?” is Mark’s gospel’s central theme. Throughout the gospel’s first part, Jesus reveals his identity through his powerful teachings and mighty works (miracles). Now Jesus asks his disciples directly what they have decided about him. Peter speaks for all the disciples, but Mark intends that every hearer answer Jesus’ question personally.
• Jesus’ description of discipleship. Jesus first describes what his faithfulness to God means: he “will suffer, be rejected, be killed, and rise after three days.” He then calls his disciples and the crowd (everyone who might wish to following him in the future) and describes how to follow him faithfully: deny yourself (act in a selfless way and give up your central place in your life), take up your cross (share fully in Jesus’ own faithfulness to God), and follow me (persevere in discipleship). Discipleship is neither safe nor comfortable, but Jesus promises eternal life to those who remain faithful.

Summary and reflection

This week’s readings ask us to think about our faithfulness in discipleship. Isaiah accepts God’s call to be God’s prophet despite his calling’s hardships and rejections. The author of James warns his ekklesia that, unless they do and live God’s word, their faith and discipleship is dead. Mark shows Jesus speaking bluntly about his identity and what faithfulness to God and Jesus means for disciples. How alive and real is our discipleship? Is my discipleship strong enough to withstand the questions and critiques of others within and outside my community? Do my words and good works witness that my faith and discipleship is alive? What do my daily and moment-by-moment discipleship choices reveal about my commitment to follow Jesus?

—Terence Sherlock

23 August 2020: Twenty-first Sunday in Ordinary time

Reading 1	Response	Reading 2	Gospel
Is 22:19-23 RCL: Is 51:1-6	Ps 138:1-2, 2-3, 6, 8	Rom 11:33-36 RCL: Rom 12:1-8	Mt 16:13-20

Authority: gift and responsibility

 During Ordinary time the Lectionary presents stories and teachings from Jesus’ everyday ministry. This week’s readings focus on authority and accountability.

The first reading is from the prophet Isaiah, who lived in Jerusalem in the eight century BC. In this pericope, Isaiah describes the events of 701BC, when the Assyrian king Sennacherib attacked Jerusalem. King Hezekiah surrendered, paying Sennacherib a heavy tribute from the Temple treasury. When Shebna, the “master of the palace” (Hezekiah’s prime minister) failed the people of Judah, God (acting through Isaiah) replaced him with Eliakim. The master of the palace carried the physical keys to the palace doors. Ancient keys were very large and usually made of wood; these keys were “placed” or “carried on a shoulder,” suspended on a strap. The keys also symbolized the master’s office, indicating his authority to admit (“open”) or to deny (“shut”) access to the king. The Lectionary editors chose this reading because God giving Eliakim the keys of authority parallels Jesus giving Peter the keys of the kingdom in today’s gospel.

The second reading from Paul’s letter to the Rome ekklesia is part of a continuous reading in Ordinary time. This short pericope concludes both the Inclusion of Israel section (Rom 9:1-11:36) and Paul’s gospel to this point. God includes “all” (Jews and gentiles) within salvation, but in a way that reverses and confounds human expectation (“how inscrutable God’s judgements and unsearchable his ways”). Paul closes with a hymn to divine wisdom (“from him/through him/for him”), allowing his hearers time to reflect on this mystery (“who has known the mind of the Lord,” “who has given the Lord anything”) and to share in Paul’s awe and praise (“to him be glory forever”). Biblical theology reflects on God’s actions in salvation history, but remains inadequate; humans are unable to comprehend fully God’s riches and wisdom. No theology can claim to be absolute; it is always subject to change. Theology is best expressed in a liturgical context and should always result in praise, the only thing humans can give God. The Lectionary editors chose this reading as part of Ordinary time’s continuous reading from Romans.

Matthew’s gospel reveals Jesus’ messiahship. Among the story’s many ideas are the themes of revelation, foundation, and authority.

• Place of revelation. Caesarea Philippi, a town north of the Sea of Galilee, is in the territory of Dan. In extrabiblical writings current in the first century, God reveals the divine mysteries of heaven to Enoch in the same area. Jesus may have associated Peter’s confession with God’s revelation (“flesh and blood has not revealed this, but my heavenly Father”). In Jesus’ time, the town included a temple to Pan, built at the mouth of an underground grotto. People believed the grotto was an opening to the underworld. This local feature may have led Jesus to mention “the gates of hades.”

• Foundation on rock. After Simon names Jesus as messiah, Jesus gives Simon a new name: “Rocky” or “the Rock” (in Aramaic Kephas, in Greek Petros). Simon is the solid foundation of rock (in Aramaic, kephas, in Greek petra) on which Jesus will build his believing community. (Jesus, speaking Aramaic, puns on Kepha/kepha. Matthew continues the pun in Greek with Petros/petra, but the pun is lost in English translations.) Jesus’ ekklesia can come into being only after Jesus’ resurrection and the coming of the Spirit.

• Keys to the kingdom. Keys symbolize access and authority, as shown in Eliakim’s story in today’s first reading. Eliakim’s keys control entry and exit to the royal palace; Peter’s keys control access to the kingdom of the heavens. Jesus also gives Peter (and later the community) the authority to bind and loose. This binding and loosing includes the power to define community rules and exceptions, to impose and lift excommunications, and to perform exorcisms. Jesus promises that God will ratify and stand behind what Peter and the others enact.

This week’s readings ask us to think about authority. God replaces Shebna the prime minister because he fails to protect God’s people. Jesus invests Peter with authority only after Peter realizes that Jesus is messiah and God’s son. All authority flows from God for the good of God’s people; God holds those who have authority accountable for their actions. How do we use the authority God has granted us? Do we use authority for our own benefit or to improve others’ lives? Do we hoard authority to disempower others or share decisions to enable justice? Do we believe we are accountable to God or to no one?

—Terence Sherlock