Collect Series: Collect for 30th Sunday of Year B

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COLLECT

COLLECT

The Collect for the Twenty Nineth Year B reads as follows:

Almighty ever-living God,

grant that we may always conform our will to Yours

and serve your majesty in sincerity of heart.

Through our Lord Jesus Christ, Your Son,

who lives and reigns with You in the unity of the Holy Spirit,

one God, for ever and ever.

 REFLECTION QUESTIONS

In making this prayer tangible, the following reflection questions emerged:

1.What is God’s will for me in my life and for this coming week?

2. What action/s will I take to conform my life to God’s will this coming week?

3. Examine the areas in my life which are presently not according to God’s will?

4. How do I serve Your majesty-what does this mean to me?

5. What means does the church provide to assist us to live according to God’s will in our lives?

6. How sincere is my relationship with God currently? What  areas need to change?

.GOSPEL REFLECTION

Mark 10:17-30 – The Rich Young Man and the Call to Radical Discipleship

Reflecting on Mark 10:35-45 and 10:17-30 from a Catholic perspective invites us to delve into themes of humility, discipleship, and the radical call of the Gospel.

In this passage, a rich young man approaches Jesus and asks what he must do to inherit eternal life. Jesus reminds him of the commandments, which the young man claims to have kept from his youth. Jesus then gives him a more challenging directive: ‘Go, sell what you have, and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; then come, follow me" (Mark 10:21). The young man, unable to detach from his wealth, leaves sorrowful.

Key Themes:

1. Detachment and Trust in God: Jesus' instruction to sell everything challenges us to consider what attachments in our lives might be keeping us from fully following Him. In Catholic teaching, this passage emphasizes the importance of detachment from material possessions and radical trust in God's providence. While not all are called to literally give up everything, we are all called to live with a spirit of poverty, meaning that material goods should never take precedence over our relationship with God.

 2. The Cost of Discipleship: Jesus teaches that true discipleship requires sacrifices. He tells the disciples that it is difficult for the wealthy to enter the Kingdom of God, likening it to a camel passing through the eye of a needle. This illustrates the necessity of relying on God's grace, not human efforts or wealth, to attain salvation.

 3. Rewards of Following Christ: While the young man leaves sorrowful, Peter reminds Jesus that the disciples have left everything to follow Him. Jesus reassures them that those who give up possessions, family, or lands for His sake will receive a hundredfold and eternal life in the world to come. This highlights the **heavenly reward** for those who prioritize God above all else, an important aspect of Catholic eschatology.

Mark 10:35-45 – The Ambition of James and John

In this passage, James and John ask Jesus to grant them positions of honor in His glory, one on His right and the other on His left. Jesus responds by asking if they can drink the cup He will drink (a metaphor for His suffering). He goes on to teach about the true nature of greatness in His Kingdom: **“Whoever wishes to be great among you will be your servant... For the Son of Man did not come to be served but to serve and to give His life as a ransom for many”** (Mark 10:43-45).

Key Themes:

1. Servant Leadership: Jesus contrasts worldly ideas of power and authority with the values of His Kingdom. In the Catholic tradition, **servant leadership** is emphasized, especially in the model of Christ. True greatness, according to Jesus, is found in **humility and service**. This teaching is reflected in the lives of saints, many of whom lived lives of radical service to others.

2. The Cup of Suffering: Jesus' question about drinking the cup He will drink points to the reality of suffering in the Christian life. In Catholic spirituality, suffering is often seen as a path to sanctification when united with Christ's own suffering. The **redemptive nature of suffering** is a key Catholic belief, rooted in the idea that following Christ means sharing in both His glory and His cross.

3. The Model of Christ: Jesus presents Himself as the ultimate model of service and sacrifice, saying He came **"not to be served, but to serve."** In the Catholic tradition, this is central to the Eucharist, where Christ continually offers Himself to us. The sacrificial love of Jesus is the heart of Christian life and is mirrored in the Church's mission to serve the poor, the marginalized, and all who are in need.

 CONNECTING THE TWO PASSAGES

Both passages call for a radical reorientation of values:

The rich young man is invited to let go of material wealth and follow Jesus, which echoes the call to humility and detachment in the Gospel.James and John are invited to embrace servanthood and suffering as the path to greatness in the Kingdom.

From a Catholic perspective, these teachings align with the Beatitudes, which exalt the poor in spirit, the meek, and those who hunger for righteousness. They also challenge us to examine our own priorities: Are we more like the rich young man, clinging to comfort and security, or are we striving to embrace the servant-hearted path of Christ?

 In conclusion, Mark 10:17-30 and 10:35-45 teach that the way to eternal life and true greatness is through following Jesus in humility, detachment, and sacrificial love. Catholics are reminded of the importance of detaching from worldly values and embracing the call to serve others, trusting in God's grace to lead us to the eternal life Christ promises.