Scripture Reflections for the Twenty-ninth Sunday in Ordinary Time
Year B, Lectionary 146
Even if we misunderstand what it involves, we nonetheless have a desire to "sit" at the side of Jesus. We yearn for worldly glory but Jesus teaches us that divine glory is what we need to be after. And that requires sacrifice, a loving suffering for the betterment of others.
Hate feeling lost on Sundays at church? Searching for a better explanation of the Bible than what you hear from your pastor's sermon? Check out the following collection of audio, video, and text commentaries from various Christian experts for a better understanding of today's scripture that deal with: Abuse • Ambition • Atonement • Authority • Challenge • Child • Church • Commit • Commitment • Community • Compassion • Cross • Disability • Disciple • Economy • Ego • Family • Fatigue • Fulfillment • Give • Glory • Honor • Humility • Journey • Justify • Lead • Liberation • Listen • Marriage • Mission • Naive • Ordained • Power • Priest • Prophecy • Ransom • Redeem • Redemption • Rely • Resent • Resurrection • Sacrifice • Salvation • Servant • Serve • Sin • Solidarity • Special • Status • Suffering • Temptation • Understand • Wish •
“So he's able to sympathize with us because he's fully human but he's able to redeem us and deliver us from it because he, unlike us, has the power to overcome sin”
“Christianity is not just a destination. Many times as Christians we forget the fact that a Christian is a follower of Christ and that Christianity is a journey.”
“is it me trying to move God with the things that I do or rather is it God trying to move me in my own life? And am I letting God move me?”
“In Jesus, glory can be so much more: serving, giving, caring. His glory is a radiance, a glow, a place to remain and abide. We want to be close, not push ahead of everyone else, but so that the warmth of his glory becomes our home.”
“The gospel doesn't tell us that the path to greatness is through service. Jesus is teaching us that greatness is expressed through service. We don't act like a servant to become great, we serve because there is greatness in the service of the other.”
“People of God, the first thing that we think about when we think about weakness is bad. But if we are to listen to people different from ourselves who we love, we have to be weak enough, open enough to be able to hear.”
“And so maybe James and John are good models after all. They asked to be at Jesus's side, isn't that what Jesus would want us all to ask? Shouldn't we all ask Jesus to be at his side?”
“If I enjoy the glories of the priesthood I must be ready to bear the cross that comes with it, it is a full package”
“We cannot outdo the love of Christ, we cannot overcome the infinite value of the ransom of Jesus Christ on the cross”
“Do not conform to the idea that we must be servant or slave to the 'powers that be'”
“James and John imagined a reign of God that doesn't exist. Jesus sets them straight. 'It's not about position or influence, guys, it's about service. It's not about image, it's about love. It's not about power, it's about sacrifice.'”
“the resolution to the Gospel story occurs not because of what the disciples do, it is the initiative of God”
“God does want to offer us occasions to remember that we belong to one another, that we suffer together and that we exist in a communion of faith that is called to serve. Jesus shows us what that kind of companionship looks like and we are called to do likewise.”
“It's only through union do we truly get to know God's will for us and not someone else's. Ultimately, God made us for freedom. When we're enslaved by tiredness we're not truly free.”
“If we look at it without the eyes of faith, to make any sort of long-term commitment is really illogical, isn't it?”
“For disciples of Christ, true success involves an attitude of service towards one another”
