Texts taken from the “On Your Word” Missal September-October 2021

24th Sunday in Ordinary Time (B)
4th week, Psalter

FIRST READING

From the book of the prophet Isaiah (Is 50:5-9a)
The Lord God has opened my ear, and I have not been rebellious; I have not turned backward. I gave my back to those who beat me, my cheeks to those who pulled out my beard; I did not hide my face from insults and spitting. The Lord God is my help; therefore I am not disgraced; therefore I have set my face like flint, knowing that I shall not be put to shame. He who upholds my right is near. Who will contend with me? Let us confront each other. Who has a case against me? Let him come forward. See, the Lord God is my help; who will declare me guilty? – The word of the Lord.

Commentary on the first reading

This reading speaks about how to face suffering: offering one’s back to those who beat us, allowing one’s beard to be pulled out, enduring insults and spitting; we are faced with very difficult trials to bear and endure. How difficult it is to listen; to understand without resisting, without turning back, to know how to face suffering without being confused. Jesus faced all this, but are we able to find the courage to imitate him? As for me, physical suffering frightens me; I am afraid of insults, provocations, wrongs, and I find it very difficult not to answer back. I certainly have not yet fully realized that God assists me, that he is constantly near me and upholds my cause. In this text, however, suffering has been accepted deeply and positively; one understands what the Lord wants; one resists, accepts everything, and believes in a love stronger than the evil surrounding us; one is aware that the Lord will intervene, preventing violence from tempting and destroying us. We are faced with an unshakable trust that explicitly proclaims: nothing is stronger than God.

SECOND READING

From the letter of Saint James the apostle (Jas 2:14-18)
What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can such faith save him? If a brother or sister is without clothes and lacks daily food, and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, keep warm and eat your fill,” but you do not give them what the body needs, what good is that? So faith by itself, if it has no works, is dead. On the contrary, someone might say, “You have faith and I have works; show me your faith apart from your works, and I will show you my faith by my works.” – The word of the Lord.

Commentary on the second reading

How precious and relevant this word from James is! It still happens today, as it has throughout the centuries, that there are Christians who are always present at worship services and able to proclaim the Gospel, but who are closed off and greedy with their possessions and comforts; Christians who feel they have done what is required because of the religious practices they perform. Instead, the path is one of daily fidelity alongside the poor, in fraternal service, in simple and pure faith, in which by faith we mean communion of life with the Other, living and surrendering oneself to the Lord. James emphasizes the inseparable relationship between faith and good works: for him, works are the logical, consequent behavior that springs from mature faith. Faith does not consist merely in intellectual assent, but has a logical consequence and an effect in daily life; as believers and disciples of Christ, we must move beyond a religiosity consisting only of knowledge and duty and set out on the path of intimacy and communion, “living within him,” so that he too may live in us.

GOSPEL OF THE DAY

From the Gospel according to Mark (Mk 8:27-35)
At that time, Jesus went with his disciples toward the villages around Caesarea Philippi, and on the way he questioned his disciples, saying, “Who do people say that I am?” And they answered him, “John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, one of the prophets.” And he asked them, “But who do you say that I am?” Peter answered him, “You are the Christ.” And he strictly ordered them not to speak about him to anyone. Then he began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer greatly and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes, be killed, and after three days rise again. He spoke openly about this. Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. But turning around and looking at his disciples, he rebuked Peter and said, “Get behind me, Satan! For you are not thinking according to God, but according to human beings.” He summoned the crowd with his disciples and said to them, “If anyone wishes to come after me, let him deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me. For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it; but whoever loses his life for my sake and for the sake of the Gospel will save it.” – The word of the Lord. 

Commentary on the Gospel of the day

Today’s Gospel begins with the question, “But who do you say that I am?” and Peter’s instinctive answer: “You are the Christ.” The Holy Spirit generated this answer in Peter, but what would we answer personally to the direct question, “Who is Jesus to me?” Most likely, we would search for what we learned in catechism, what we studied… but surely that would not be enough. To know Jesus, we must allow ourselves to be involved by him in mind, heart, and action. Deepening our catechesis is certainly important, but it is also necessary to converse with him in prayer and, finally, in following him… We must remember that Jesus did not say to his apostles, “Know me!” but rather, “Follow me,” and this involves our entire being, our virtues and our weaknesses. Remaining with Christ means forgiving, being humble, gentle, meek, compassionate, suffering, being rejected, and above all being able to give one’s life, as he gave his for each of us; only by taking these steps will we be saved, experience joy, and bear fruit.