Daily Readings - Wed May 29 2024

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

In today's readings, we are invited to reflect on the transformative power of Christ's sacrifice and the call to live a life of humble service. The first reading from 1 Peter reminds us 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 urges us to live out our faith with obedience, love, and hope, knowing that we are born anew through the Word of God, which endures forever. This passage encourages us to move beyond fleeting earthly concerns and to root our lives in the eternal Word of God. The Gospel from Mark complements this message by highlighting Jesus' prediction of his Passion and his teaching on true greatness. As Jesus journeys to Jerusalem, he reveals the cost of discipleship and overturns the worldly ambition of James and John, who seek positions of power. Jesus teaches that leadership in his kingdom is not about dominance but about service. He calls his followers to embrace humility and to serve one another, just as he came "to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many." This teaching challenges us to examine our own motivations and to seek greatness in selflessness rather than status. These readings remind us that our faith is not about personal gain or comfort but about living in the light of Christ's sacrifice and embracing a life of love and service. In our daily lives, we are called to imitate Christ by putting others first, whether in small acts of kindness or in larger commitments to justice and compassion. Let us ask ourselves: Am I living as a servant of others? Am I willing to embrace the cross of Christ in my own life? May we find the courage to follow Jesus on the path of humility and love, knowing that true fulfillment comes not from earthly power but from living in accordance with the eternal Word of God.