By Msgr. Joseph Prior • Posted October 18, 2024

(See the readings for the 29th Sunday in Ordinary Time)

Jesus speaks of his mission in this Sunday’s Gospel. It is a mission we celebrate every time we gather around the altar. The mission is redemption.

There are several themes that can be identified in the interchange with James and John. One is ambition, another is leadership, another is service, still another is jealousy. But the one theme to which they all relate is the paschal mystery. At the end of the interchange Jesus says: “For the Son of Man did not come to be served but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many.” Jesus’ statement at the end informs all that preceded it and is the foundation of his teaching here.

The passage starts with James and John asking for a favor. When Jesus comes in his glory, they are asking to “sit one at his right, the other at his left.” In other words, they want a share in his glory. Their specific request is looking for a place of honor in the Kingdom. Perhaps they want to be close to Jesus. Perhaps they want to be placed above the others.

Eventually Jesus will tell them that that place of honor is not for him to give. They may have a share in his glory but it will involve a participation in that which leads to his glory.

Jesus says to them: “You do not know what you are asking.” Their question itself reveals that they do not yet realize what his mission is about. Jesus has spoken about service before. He has spoken about his passion before this. Apparently, they have not fully realized the connection between the two. In fact, the passage that precedes this interchange with James and John, Jesus explicitly predicts his passion.

So Jesus’ statement has the tone of a warning. Then he asks them, “Can you drink the cup that I drink or be baptized with the baptism with which I am baptized?” The images of “drinking the cup” and “baptism” are references to his passion. So what he is asking them is, “Will you take a share in my passion?” They eagerly and quickly respond, “We can.” Jesus then forecasts that they will have a share in his passion; and a share in his passion will lead to a share in his glory.

The jealous reaction of the other apostles suggests that they too do not yet understand the connection between Jesus’ passion and glory. Jesus then speaks of service and leadership. He is teaching them not to seek earthly glory and honor, like worldly leaders do. These people like to have their importance felt by those subject to them. They “lord it” over them. They seem to be more concerned with position rather than true authority.

Jesus tells them if they want to be leaders then they must be servants. The common notion of “service” might be phrased as “helping someone.” This would be the most frequently used meaning of the term today. However, Jesus’ use of “service” or “servant” goes further than this.

When Jesus speaks of service, he uses that term as united with sacrifice. The “service” will involve the giving of oneself in love. It is a sacrificial service, laying down one’s life for the benefit of the other. The cost of this service is not measured in monetary terms or in terms of time spent. In a certain sense this giving cannot be measured because it is comprehensive. So Jesus says: “Whoever wishes to be first among you will be the slave of all.”

As mentioned above, all this leads to Jesus saying, “For the Son of Man did not come to be served but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many.” Jesus is the one who is the “servant of all,” the “first of all,” because he is the One who gives “his life as a ransom for many.” He will embrace his passion as a sacrifice of love. He will offer his life so that all can live. His offering is redemptive. He frees mankind from the bonds of sin and death. His resurrection will manifest his victory.

The first reading points forward to Jesus’ offering. The prophet Isaiah speaks of the suffering servant. It is the suffering of the Lord’s servant that will bring redemption. The prophet says: “through his suffering, my servant shall justify many, and their guilt he shall bear.” Jesus’ service is giving completely of himself in love. Through this offering he will save all.

The second reading, from the Letter to the Hebrews, speaks of Jesus as the “high priest.” Not the high priest who offers sacrifice in the Temple, but the one who offers himself in sacrifice.

Perhaps the passage can give us an added insight into Jesus’ interaction with the apostles. He knows the weakness of man. He knows that what he asks is difficult, for as the author states, “… we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who has similarly been tested in every way, yet without sin.” And because of this we can “confidently approach the throne of grace to receive mercy and to find grace for timely help.”

Every time we gather around the altar at Mass we celebrate the Lord’s sacrifice. We celebrate his laying down his life in loving service. We celebrate the redemption he won for us. We celebrate the life he offers us.

Our response is twofold. On the one hand, we offer thanks. Our praise is a thanksgiving to God for the gift of Jesus, the gift of life, the gift of mercy. On the other hand we enter into this mystery. We become one with him who redeemed us and we are empowered to share in his sacrificial offering. One of the Eucharistic prayers, following the consecration, captures this reality with the specific prayer that we may become “a living sacrifice of praise.”

Jesus strengthens us to lay down our lives in loving sacrificial service when we go forth from the celebration. We go into the world and give of ourselves in love. We go into the world – that is, to our families, our neighbors, our colleagues, our classmates, indeed to everyone we encounter – to bring the message of love by loving, by serving, by laying down our lives. “For the Son of Man did not come to be served but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

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Msgr. Joseph Prior is pastor of Our Lady of Grace Parish, Penndel, and a former professor of Sacred Scripture and rector of St. Charles Borromeo Seminary.