Daily Readings - Wed May 30 2018

¹⁸For you know that it was not with corruptible gold or silver that you were redeemed away from your useless behavior in the traditions of your fathers¹⁹but it was with the precious blood of Christ, an immaculate and undefiled lamb²⁰foreknown, certainly, before the foundation of the world, and made manifest in these latter times for your sake²¹Through him, you have been faithful to God, who raised him up from the dead and gave him glory, so that your faith and hope would be in God²²So chastise your souls with the obedience of charity, in fraternal love, and love one another from a simple heart, attentively²³For you have been born again, not from corruptible seed, but from what is incorruptible, from the Word of God, living and remaining for all eternity²⁴For all flesh is like the grass and all its glory is like the flower of the grass. The grass withers and its flower falls away²⁵But the Word of the Lord endures for eternity. And this is the Word that has been evangelized to you

Mark

Chapter 10

³²Now they were on the way ascending to Jerusalem. And Jesus went ahead of them, and they were astonished. And those following him were afraid. And again, taking aside the twelve, he began to tell them what was about to happen to him³³"For behold, we are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of man will be handed over to the leaders of the priests, and to the scribes, and the elders. And they will condemn him to death, and they will hand him over to the Gentiles³⁴And they will mock him, and spit on him, and scourge him, and put him to death. And on the third day, he will rise again.³⁵And James and John, the sons of Zebedee, drew near to him, saying, "Teacher, we wish that whatever we will ask, you would do for us.³⁶But he said to them, "What do you want me to do for you?³⁷And they said, "Grant to us that we may sit, one at your right and the other at your left, in your glory.³⁸But Jesus said to them: "You do not know what you are asking. Are you able to drink from the chalice from which I drink, or to be baptized with the baptism with which I am to be baptized?³⁹But they said to him, "We can." Then Jesus said to them: "Indeed, you shall drink from the chalice, from which I drink; and you shall be baptized with the baptism, with which I am to be baptized⁴⁰But to sit at my right, or at my left, is not mine to give to you, but it is for those for whom it has been prepared.⁴¹And the ten, upon hearing this, began to be indignant toward James and John⁴²But Jesus, calling them, said to them: "You know that those who seem to be leaders among the Gentiles dominate them, and their leaders exercise authority over them⁴³But it is not to be this way among you. Instead, whoever would become greater shall be your minister⁴⁴and whoever will be first among you shall be the servant of all⁴⁵So, too, the Son of man has not come so that they would minister to him, but so that he would minister and would give his life as a redemption for many.

Sermon

The readings today invite us to reflect on the nature of sacrifice, service, and the true meaning of discipleship. In the first reading from 1 Peter, we are reminded that our redemption comes not through earthly wealth or power but through the precious blood of Christ, who was foreknown before the foundation of the world. Peter emphasizes that our faith and hope are rooted in God, and we are called to live out this faith in love and obedience, being born anew through the Word of God, which endures forever. This passage encourages us to focus on what is eternal rather than what is fleeting. In the Gospel, Mark presents Jesus on the way to Jerusalem, where he predicts his passion and death. Despite the fear and astonishment of his disciples, Jesus teaches them about the true nature of leadership. When James and John ask to sit at his side in glory, Jesus challenges them to consider the cost of following him. He explains that true greatness is not about power or status but about serving others. Jesus himself came not to be served but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many. This teaching is a direct rebuke to the worldly understanding of authority and calls his followers to embrace humility and selflessness. These readings are deeply connected, as they both point to the heart of the Christian life: sacrifice and service. Peter reminds us that our ultimate hope is in God, and Jesus shows us that this hope is lived out in loving service to others. In a world that often values power and prestige, these readings challenge us to reorient our lives. Let us ask ourselves: Are we willing to embrace the sacrifices that come with following Christ? Are we serving others with humility and love? May we, like Christ, find our true greatness in giving ourselves for the sake of others, and may we always remember that our redemption and hope are found in the enduring Word of God.