We confidently approach the throne of grace to receive Christ’s mercy and find grace in our time of need.

Sometimes when we enter difficult seasons of life, we may question (if not abandon) God for at least a time. But
these readings describe that pain, shortcomings and sufferings are not outside of God’s understanding of our
lives. Through His life, death and resurrection, Jesus promises compassion and consolation for our present
sufferings and promises us new life.

So, as we long for greatness and heavenly rewards, Jesus reminds us alongside James and John that service (with its sufferings) is the way to heaven. There has been plenty of suffering in the last two years for most of us, and as the Body of Christ, we might do especially well to ask God how we can bear it with grace and offer our service to bring relief, compassion, and kindness to a hurting world right now.

Jesus, our Lord and Saviour, teach us to see possibility in pain. May we look for your mercy and grace in the most challenging places in our lives. And may we walk with others through their pain on the way to new life. Amen.

Taken from the CCCB Reflection

“Lord of all the blessings you have bestowed,
source of all life, giver of all grace:

We thank you for the gift of life:
for the breath that keeps us alive, the food of this earth that sustains life,
for the love of family and friends
without which there would be no life.

Father, we thank you for the mystery of creation:
for the beauty that the eye can see,
the melody that the ear may hear,
also for the unknown that we cannot behold filling the universe with wonder,
for the reaches of space that draws us beyond the definitions of our selves.

We thank you for setting us in communities:
for families who foster our becoming,
the friends who love us by choice,
for companions at work, who share our burdens and daily responsibilities,
also for the strangers who welcome us into their hearts,
for people from other lands who call us to expand in understanding,
the children who brighten our moments with delight,
and for the unborn, who offer us hope for the future.

Lord, we thank you for this day:
for life and an extra day to love,
the opportunities and one more day to work for justice and peace,
for the neighbors and one more person to love
and by whom be loved,
also for your grace and one more oppotuniy to experience your presence,
for your promise:
to be with us,
to be our God,
and to give salvation.

For these, and all blessings,
we give you thanks, eternal, loving God,
through Jesus Christ, we pray. Amen.”

https://www.cccrs.com/2153-2/

Gospel Reading
Mark 10:17-30 (shorter form Mark 10:17-27)
A man with many possessions asks Jesus what he must do to gain eternal life.

Today we continue reading the Gospel of Mark from where we left off last Sunday. Last Sunday our Gospel told how Jesus was tested by the Pharisees about the requirements for divorce. Recall that these chapters come from the second part of Mark’s Gospel, which chronicles the beginning of Jesus’ journey to Jerusalem.

In today’s Gospel, an unnamed man approaches Jesus and inquires about what he must do to inherit eternal life. Jesus replies that one must follow the commandments of the Law of Moses. The man acknowledges that he has observed all of these since his childhood. Jesus then says that only one thing is lacking: he must give his possessions to the poor and follow Jesus. The man leaves in sadness, and Mark tells us that this is because he had many possessions.

The belief in resurrection and eternal life was a relatively recent development in Jewish thought at Jesus’ time, and it wasn’t shared by everyone. The Pharisees taught that there would be a resurrection from the dead; the Sadducees did not share this belief. Jesus taught that there would be a final judgment for everyone and eternal life (the Kingdom of God) for believers.

Jesus makes two requirements of the wealthy man who approaches him. First, he must give up his possessions. Throughout history, some Christians have taken this literally. Their example witnesses to us a radical commitment to the Gospel of Jesus. Some have read this as a particular requirement directed to this specific individual. Still others have sought to explain the meaning intended by the word possessions as those things that prevent one from following Jesus. Christians have generally understood that at the least, following Jesus requires that believers hold material possessions loosely and remain vigilant against seeking security in accumulating possessions.

The second requirement Jesus makes of this man is the invitation that Jesus extends to all would-be disciples: “follow me.” Jesus very much wants this man to be his disciple. We believe that the Christian faith is one in which each believer is in a personal relationship with Jesus. Just as this Gospel tells us that Jesus loves the man and is sad when he departs, so too, Jesus loves us and is saddened when we are unable to follow him.

We see in this Gospel reading another example of Mark’s pattern, which shows Jesus offering further elaboration about his message and meaning to his disciples. To his disciples, Jesus laments the challenges faced by those who are rich in following him and entering the Kingdom of God. In reply to the disciples’ astonishment at the strictness of the standard that Jesus speaks about today, Jesus reminds his disciples that nothing is impossible with God. Salvation is determined by our ability to rely completely upon God.

Peter replies to Jesus by boasting that the disciples have already given up everything. Jesus acknowledges that those who have given up everything for the sake of the Gospel will be rewarded. This reward begins now, in the new community that one will gain in this life, and will continue in the eternal age to come. Our personal relationship with Jesus is also an invitation to the community of faith, the Church.

Jesus, come with your Holy Spirit and place a desire for heaven and eternal life on our hearts. Allow us to see those things that we make more important than you and more important than eternal life. Grant us the gift of prudence, courage and mercy. We pray for the grace to be faithful and follow you, for you are the Way, the Truth, and the Life. Amen

Taken from Loyola Press – Sunday Connection, CCCB Reflection and Roman Catholic Diocese of Calgary

Gospel Reading
Mark 10:2-16 (shorter form Mark 10:2-12)
Jesus teaches against divorce and welcomes the children.

Today we continue to read from the Gospel according to Mark. For the past three Sundays, we have been hearing Mark’s reports of conversations between Jesus and his disciples. Recall that in Mark’s Gospel, Jesus uses these private moments to teach his disciples in greater detail about the Kingdom of God. Beginning with today’s Gospel, Jesus returns to Judea, Jewish territory, and resumes his public ministry. The first verse of chapter 10 of Mark’s Gospel tells us that crowds gathered around Jesus, and he taught them, as was his custom. Immediately, the Pharisees approach Jesus to test him.

The Pharisees question Jesus about the lawfulness of divorce. Under specific conditions, divorce was an accepted practice among the Jewish people during the time of Jesus. It was regulated by the Law of Moses, as found in Deuteronomy 24:1-5. This law only permits that a husband may divorce his wife if he finds her to be indecent. This is the justification that the Pharisees reference when Jesus inquires about the commandment of Moses. In reply, Jesus quotes from the Book of Genesis and counters that God’s original intention was that men and women would become one flesh in marriage. Jesus describes the teaching of Moses as a concession made to God’s original intention because of human stubbornness.

In private, Jesus’ disciples question him further about this teaching on divorce. It is to his disciples that Jesus lays out the implications of his teaching by explaining that remarriage after divorce is adultery. Jesus’ teaching was more restrictive than the teaching of the Pharisees, which permitted remarriage. Jesus further distinguished his teaching from the cultural norms of his time by applying his words equally to men and women. Jewish culture permitted only that a husband may divorce his wife. Wives were not permitted to divorce their husband for any reason, including adultery.

At first glance, the final part of today’s Gospel seems unconnected to the previous teaching about divorce. When read together, however, these passages present a strong picture of Jesus’ emphasis on the importance of family. God intended for women and men to be joined together in marriage. Among the purposes of marriage is the raising of children. By welcoming children and fostering their relationship with God, parents and families bear witness to the Kingdom of God.

At the end of today’s Gospel, the people were bringing their children to Jesus, and again Jesus’ disciples show that they just don’t get it. Recall that in the Gospel for each of the past two Sundays, Jesus has taught his disciples the value and importance of these “little ones” in the Kingdom of God. Yet in today’s Gospel, the disciples try to prevent people from bringing their children to Jesus. Jesus reprimands his disciples and welcomes these children. Again Jesus offers these children as an example of the kind of complete trust and dependence upon God that ought to be the attitude of all believers.

Taken for Loyola Press – Sunday Connection
Roman Catholic Diocese of Calgary

Gospel Reading
Mark 9:38-43,45,47-48
Jesus teaches that whoever is not against him is for him.

Today we continue to read from the Gospel of Mark. Recall that last week we heard Jesus chastise his disciples for their argument about who among them was the greatest. Jesus taught them that the greatest among them will be those who serve the least ones. In today’s Gospel, the disciple John questions Jesus about an unknown exorcist who was driving out demons in Jesus’ name. John’s question might have been motivated by jealousy. Previously in Mark’s Gospel, Jesus healed a boy whom the disciples had been unable to heal. John’s question is further evidence that the disciples have not yet grasped Jesus’ words to them. They continue to compare themselves to others who seem to have greater healing powers, and they do not want to share the power of Jesus’ name with others.

Today the demon possession described in the Gospels might be seen as a form of mental illness, but the need for healing these syndromes was as real then as it is now. Exorcism was a common practice in first-century Palestine. Some people had the power to heal the symptoms of possession. One of the strategies used was to invoke the name of a person or figure who was believed to have the power to heal.

The disciples observed that the unknown exorcist invoked Jesus’ name and was successful in his healing efforts. This unknown healer recognized the power of Jesus’ name, yet he was not a follower of Jesus. In his reply to his disciples, Jesus acknowledges that deeds of faith can precede the words of faith. He also teaches that the disciples should not be reluctant to share Jesus’ healing powers with others.

Later in this Gospel, Jesus teaches us not to create obstacles for those who are just beginning to have faith but to encourage even the smallest signs of faith. The Greek word used here for sin also connotes “stumbling” or “causing scandal.” In vivid terms Jesus teaches his disciples the consequences to those who would put obstacles before people who are on the road to faith.

Jesus, Lord and Savior, you came to earth to walk among us, to teach us, and to commission us to do your work. May we follow you in the way of calling others forward to the work you have entrusted to us so that your work will continue when we are gone, we pray to the Lord. Amen.

Taken from Loyola Press – Sunday Connection
CCCB Reflection
Roman Catholic Diocese of Calgary