First Reading
Isaiah 53:10-11
The Lord was pleased to crush him in infirmity. If he gives his life as an offering for sin, he shall see his descendants in a long life, and the will of the Lord shall be accomplished through him. Because of his affliction he shall see the light in fullness of days; through his suffering, my servant shall justify many, and their guilt he shall bear.
Second Reading
Hebrews 4:14-16
Brothers and sisters: Since we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast to our confession. For 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. So let us confidently approach the throne of grace to receive mercy and to find grace for timely help.
Gospel Cycle Cycle B
Mark 10:35-45
James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came to Jesus and said to him, “Teacher, we want you to do for us whatever we ask of you.” He replied, “What do you wish me to do for you?” They answered him, “Grant that in your glory we may sit one at your right and the other at your left.” Jesus said to them, “You do not know what you are asking. Can you drink the cup that I drink or be baptized with the baptism with which I am baptized?” They said to him, “We can.” Jesus said to them, “The cup that I drink, you will drink, and with the baptism with which I am baptized, you will be baptized; but to sit at my right or at my left is not mine to give but is for those for whom it has been prepared.” When the ten heard this, they became indignant at James and John. Jesus summoned them and said to them, “You know that those who are recognized as rulers over the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones make their authority over them felt. But it shall not be so among you. Rather, whoever wishes to be great among you will be your servant; whoever wishes to be first among you will be the slave of all. For the Son of Man did not come to be served but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many.”
The first reading, from the Prophet Isaiah, clearly speaks about the role of suffering in life, not only for the “suffering servant,” but also for us, ordinary people. The call of the God of our ancestors is an invitation to accept the sufferings of others into our own lives in order to bring about a deep love and reconciliation in the world. Most of us don’t like to hear such messages, but they are important to hear and to live out in our lives.
Anyone who has ever lived with others—and that is all of us!—knows the difference between taking on another person’s sufferings or leaving the person to find his or her own way, or even rejecting the person. If we meditate for a moment about taking on the sufferings of another person, we can think of some examples. When someone bursts into my life full of anger directed at me, my instinct is to become angry right back in order to protect myself. The whole relationship can change if I am willing to take on the sufferings (anger in this case). A relationship changes also when someone comes to my door asking for money and I am able to give them a good word (even when I cannot give money). We can think of so many similar situations in which our response to a perhaps negative event causes the whole event to change character.
How well I remember an event in which a drunken man had crashed his vehicle into the vehicle of a family on vacation. A baby was killed and several people were seriously injured. The parents of the family forgave the drunken driver while they were all in the hospital together. Many of us would find that almost impossible to do. The Lord invites us to live in a new manner.
Once we have meditated on this first reading, we begin to understand its relationship to today’s Gospel. Jesus is face to face with his followers, who want some kind of prestige and honor. Right away we notice that Jesus does not rebuke them. Jesus does not react to such desires except to point out that there is another way to live. This truly is taking on the sufferings of others. It can be very easy to get caught up in the faults of others rather than responding to such faults with love and with a different point of view. The whole situation changes.
Today we can reflect on these teachings of Jesus. Are we willing to be servants of others? Probably no very much! Are we willing to strive for inner peace and tranquility so that we face every situation with this inner freedom to respond and to invite others to the path of peace? Let us take on the sufferings of others in order to help bring peace to our world—and to follow our Lord Christ.