Sunday, October 17, 2021

October 17, 2021: 29th Sunday in Ordinary Time

Jesus states clearly His purpose in coming in the spirit of a Servant, which is counter to natural human tendencies of power.

Just after His third passion prediction, and then a bold request from Sts. James and John, He declares that He came not to be served, but to serve.  (When I was in college, the thesis of a 2-page essay I wrote on the Gospel of St. Mark noted this passage as the climax of the Gospel.)

His sufferings served the purpose of justifying many, as is written in Isaiah the prophet.

He is a merciful High Priest, to whom we can turn confidently to help us.

Not only is He our source of salvation, but He is the model to whom we turn.  We now live our lives serving as He served, giving of ourselves to bring Life to the world.

We draw from Him as our Source, so we can live abundantly in the challenges of this world, and can be fully equipped for the mission He grants us to be a life-giving gift to the world.

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