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.”
What does suffering mean for me? Do I get angry when I suffer? How do I think and feel about the suffering of others? These are the kinds of questions that today’s readings raise in our hearts and in our minds.
When we first hear this reading from Isaiah, our hearts and our minds should revolt. This is the kind of image of God that people sometimes throw at us Christians: God is just a being that crushes you and does nothing to help you! We have to work hard to try to justify what this reading says about God and about us and our relationship with God.
When we begin to read this section of the Prophet Isaiah we realize that the Prophet speaks to us about someone in his own time who was able to love others enough so that he could offer his life for them. Although this is not a popular image for our culture today, most of us still admire a person who is able to give himself totally to the service of others. This is certainly part of the reason there was such great admiration for Mother Theresa of Calcutta. Even at a totally secular level, when we meet people who are truly working for others, generally we have great admiration for them, even though we might not want to imitate them.
In this reading today, God only crushes this “suffering servant” because the “suffering servant” has offered his own life so that others might live. It is not a vengeful and mean God, but a God who understands the person who wants to give his life for others. And it is an invitation to each one of us to look into his or her own heart and ask if we can give our lives for others. How far can we give?
The Gospel picks up this same theme when the sons of Zebedee come and ask for a special place by Jesus in “glory.” These men are already looking out for themselves for the life to come! But Jesus tells them that the only thing that he can promise them is suffering—and he assured them that they will suffer.
The other 10 of the chosen 12 are indignant about all of this, not because they are so pure and disinterested, they seem to be indignant that they did not think of it first, although the story doesn’t tell us that. All of this gives Jesus an opportunity to teach that the most important thing is to learn how to serve others. We must become the slave of others—and that is a very strong statement. We need to serve and to give our lives as a ransom for others, just as Jesus did.
Our second reading today, from the Letter to the Hebrews, also dwells on this point: Jesus, as the eternal high priest, is able to understand us because he took on our human condition and has been tested in every way. That phrase “tested in every way,” is supposed to be telling us that He suffered like us.
So today we are invited by the Lord Himself to share in His life and to share in His suffering so that our world can be redeemed. I am not sure how far I can go in suffering but I want to go as far as possible for the love of the Lord and to love others. How about you?