Daily Readings - Sun Oct 21 2018

¹⁰But it was the will of the Lord to crush him with infirmity. If he lays down his life because of sin, he will see offspring with long lives, and the will of the Lord will be directed by his hand¹¹Because his soul has labored, he will see and be satisfied. By his knowledge, my just servant will himself justify many, and he himself will carry their iniquities

Hebrews

Chapter 4

¹⁴Therefore, since we have a great High Priest, who has pierced the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, we should hold to our confession¹⁵For we do not have a high priest who is unable to have compassion on our infirmities, but rather one who was tempted in all things, just as we are, yet without sin¹⁶Therefore, let us go forth with confidence toward the throne of grace, so that we may obtain mercy, and find grace, in a helpful time

Mark

Chapter 10

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

In today's readings, we journey through profound lessons on service, humility, and redemption. The first reading from Isaiah presents a prophecy of the suffering servant, who bears the sins of many, highlighting Jesus' role in redemption. The second reading from Hebrews reinforces this by portraying Jesus as the compassionate High Priest, inviting us to approach God with confidence. The Gospel from Mark vividly illustrates Jesus teaching His disciples about true leadership, emphasizing service over power. These readings interweave the themes of service and humility, showing Jesus as the ultimate servant who redeems through suffering. Isaiah's prophecy finds fulfillment in Jesus, who in Mark's Gospel, teaches that leadership is about serving others. Hebrews bridges this by reminding us of Jesus' compassion, encouraging us to approach God with trust. In our daily lives, these teachings call us to embrace humility and service. We are invited to follow Jesus' example by prioritizing others' needs and trusting in God's plan. Let us reflect on how we can serve selflessly, just as Jesus did, and find strength in His compassionate heart.