TWENTY-FIFTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME
Also Read: Mass Readings for 19 September 2021
First Reading: Wisdom 2: 12, 17-20
(19) Let us test him with insult and torture, so that we may find out how gentle he is, and make a trial of his forbearance.
These words, resemble what Christ suffered during his passion and crucifixion. If Christ suffered in this way, we too must put on our whole armor of God (Eph. 6:10-20) and face the test of our times!
Responsorial Psalm: Psalms 54: 3-4, 5, 6 and 8
(4) But surely, God is my helper; the Lord is the upholder of my life.
A righteous person will rely on the above verse, in faith. Even though we may not see it now, we must step ahead boldly in Christ!
Second Reading: James 3: 16 – 4: 3
(3:17) But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without a trace of partiality or hypocrisy.
The factors of God’s true wisdom are mentioned in the above verse. Do they sound familiar with what love looks like? That should not be surprising, really! Because, where true wisdom is, their true love also will be! God is Wisdom and God is Love!
(4:3) You ask and do not receive because you ask wrongly, in order to spend what you get on your pleasures.
We must be very clear about the motive behind our requests. If we find ourselves seeking our own profit from it, then that must be corrected.
Gospel: Mark 9: 30-37
(31) Jesus was teaching his disciples, saying to them “The Son of Man is to be betrayed into human hands, and they will kill him and three days after being killed, he will rise again.
The apostles had never heard of such things as Christ was telling them; so they didn’t understand.
(37) Whoever welcomes one such child in my name welcomes me, and whoever welcomes me, welcomes not me but the one who sent me.
Children are unique in their thought processes and behaviors. When we engage with them, trying to understand them; we welcome God! But are we challenged sometimes in dealing with the adults around us? Maybe it’s time to see them as God does, as little children!
Stay Blest! Amen!
