Texts of the Readings
September
17, 2006
Twenty-fourth
Sunday of the Year (B)
Betty Jane Lillie, S.C.
Is 50:4-9aa
X
Ps 116:1-6,8-9 X
Jas 2:14-18 X
Mk 8:27-35
The pivotal point of
this Sundays readings is the Gospel passage about the identity of Jesus.
The Master opened the discussion with his disciples by asking them who
people took him to be. The popular consciousness varied on that point.
Then he focused a question on the disciples. Who do you say that I
am?
Peter emerged with an answer. You are the Christ. That, of course, was a
good response, but as often happened with Peter, he showed that he did not
really get it. He moved backward in his thought process to the popular
concept of a messiah who would not suffer but would be the triumphant ruler
of an earthly kingdom. Between Peters reply and Jesus rebuke of Peter is
Jesus open description of what his messianic mission would entail. Peter
had shown himself to be an adversary to Jesus redemptive mission.
There is an instance of Marks messianic secret in the Masters warning the
disciples not to tell anyone about his messianic identity. That is in
contrast to Jesus speaking openly about the messiahs suffering and his
subsequent resurrection. On the part of the Evangelist we have here an
instance of a Passion and Resurrection prediction, and again the disciples
did not really catch on to the ideas. They couldnt conceive of a messiah
who would suffer; and resurrection from the dead was utterly
incomprehensible. At the end of our passage Jesus called both the crowd and
his disciples to enter into his cross and his suffering. All who enter into
suffering with Jesus enter also into his resurrection. In some way the
messianic kingdom was present in Jesus; by incorporation into Christ all
humanity might enter into it eternally.
In
our reflection on the Gospel reading we may have a flashback to the first
reading which is Second Isaiahs third song of the Suffering Servant. The
kind of suffering the Servant endured brings to mind what Jesus suffered.
Then the text moves to the kind of help and vindication the Prophet found in
the Lord. The final phase of the reading is in the language of a lawcourt
where adversaries face one another, and where this Prophet trusts in Gods
help for his vindication. Thus, the Prophet and the Evangelist pursue a
similar pattern of the description of suffering followed by a resurrection
theme.
What the letter of James contributes to our thinking here, is his focus on
the relation between faith and good works. Certainly, faith is essential to
salvation, but faith needs to be effective in the practice of good works.
Faith is pure gift, but it calls for a response in our lives that makes a
sincere effort to contribute evidence for what we believe. Thus in some way
the blessings of the kingdom become present in this world, and then move us
to Gods heavenly blessings in the eternal kingdom.
With the Psalmist we can praise the Lord who is gracious and merciful. He
saves those who call on him. (Ps 116)
Betty Jane Lillie, S.C.
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