25th Sunday Ordinary Time

Scripture, reflection and prayers for the twenty-fifth Sunday in ordinary time, September 23rd, 2012

Full scripture for Sunday available on our website here

Daily scripture is available here

Scripture

They went out from there and passed through Galilee. But Jesus did not want anyone to know, for he was teaching his disciples and telling them, “The Son of Man will be betrayed into the hands of men. They will kill him, and after three days he will rise.”But they did not understand this statement and were afraid to ask him.

Then they came to Capernaum. After Jesus was inside the house he asked them, “What were you discussing on the way?” But they were silent, for on the way they had argued with one another about who was the greatest. After he sat down, he called the twelve and said to them, “If anyone wants to be first, he must be last of all and servant of all.” He took a little child and had him stand among them. Taking him in his arms, he said to them, “Whoever welcomes one of these little children in my name welcomes me, and whoever welcomes me does not welcome me but the one who sent me.”

(Mark 9:30–37 NET)

“If anyone wants to be first, he must be last of all and servant of all.”

Reflection

Parents say that the arrival of the new baby shows where the power lies in a house. A simple cry can change weekend plans; a small bundle of life takes over the house. People who are pompous and overweening can be put in their place by the word or the smile of a child.

Power  and Control

The readings today are about power and control and how we are so dependent in our lives. Jesus tells his friends and disciples that he will be delivered over to people and handed over; his whole being will be dependent on the will of others.

Maybe that’s why he goes on to speak of children and welcomes them. He teaches the disciples a lesson of who and what is really important.  This lesson is after they have been arguing about who is the best or the greatest or the most important in the group or in the eyes of Jesus.

Mobility Threatened

This may happen sometimes when we are ill and find that our mobility is threatened and that the most important things in life are love and friends and faithfulness. Or when a financial situation changes we may find that love and care and joy can actually be found in other places.  We find that like Jesus we can all rise again.

In placing importance on a child Jesus teaches the importance of everyone. In welcoming the child totally into his group, he welcomes everyone, for everyone of us has been a child, and we know that our heart goes out to children. A society is partly judged in one way on how it looks after and cares for its children. Children remind us of our dependency in life on others and on God.

Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed by thy name. 

Donal Neary SJ