Homily OT (B) 29th Sunday - Can You Drink the Cup?

Can You Drink the Cup

Core Message:

Core Message goes here

I. Introduction

Subtitle

My intro goes here

II. Body

Subtitle

Point 1 goes here

III. Conclusion

Subtitle

My conclusion goes here

Readings for the 29th Sunday of OT (B):

Sunday, October 18, 2015 | Ordinary Time

Twenty-Ninth Sunday in Ordinary Time

Year B | Roman Missal

First Reading Isaiah 53:10–11

Response Psalm 33:22

Psalm Psalm 33:4–5, 18–20, 22

Second Reading Hebrews 4:14–16

Gospel Acclamation Mark 10:45

Gospel Mark 10:35–45 or Mark 10:42–45

Index of Readings

First Reading

Isaiah 53:10–11

10 Yet it was the will of the Lord to crush him;

he has put him to grief;

when his soul makes an offering for guilt,

he shall see his offspring; he shall prolong his days;

the will of the Lord shall prosper in his hand.

11 Out of the anguish of his soul he shall see and be satisfied;

by his knowledge shall the righteous one, my servant,

make many to be accounted righteous,

and he shall bear their iniquities[FADL1] .

Response

Psalm 33:22

22 Let your steadfast love, O Lord, be upon us,

even as we hope in you.

Psalm

Psalm 33:4–5, 18–20, 22

4 For the word of the Lord is upright,

and all his work is done in faithfulness.

5 He loves righteousness and justice;

the earth is full of the steadfast love of the Lord.

18 Behold, the eye of the Lord is on those who fear him,

on those who hope in his steadfast love,

19 that he may deliver their soul from death

and keep them alive in famine.

20 Our soul waits for the Lord;

he is our help and our shield.

22 Let your steadfast love, O Lord, be upon us,

even as we hope in you.

Second Reading

Hebrews 4:14–16

14 Since then we have a great high priest [FADL2] who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. 15 For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. 16 Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace[FADL3] , that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

Gospel Acclamation

Mark 10:45

45 For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

Gospel

Option A

Mark 10:35–45

35 And James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came up to him and said to him, “Teacher, we want you to do for us whatever[FADL4] we ask of you.” 36 And he said to them, “What do you want me to do for you?” 37 And they said to him, “Grant us to sit, one at your right hand and one at your left, in your glory.” 38 Jesus said to them, “You do not know what you are asking. Are you able [FADL5] to drink the cup[FADL6] that I drink, or to be baptized with the baptism with which I am baptized?” 39 And they said to him, “We are able[FADL7] .” And Jesus said to them, “The cup that I drink you will drink, and with the baptism with which I am baptized, you will be baptized, 40 but to sit at my right hand or at my left is not mine to grant, but it is for those for whom it has been prepared.” 41 And when the ten heard it, they began to be indignant at James and John. 42 And Jesus called them to him and said to them, “You know that those who are considered rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority [FADL8] over them. 43 But it shall not be so among you. But whoever would be great among you must be your servant,4 44 and whoever would be first among you must be slave5 of all. 45 For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many[FADL9] .” [1]

Liturgy

TWENTY-NINTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME

Entrance Antiphon [Cf. Ps 17 (16):6, 8]

To you I call; for you will surely heed me, O God;

turn your ear to me; hear my words.

Guard me as the apple of your eye;

in the shadow of your wings protect me.

Collect

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.

Prayer over the Offerings

Grant us, Lord, we pray,

a sincere respect for your gifts,

that, through the purifying action of your grace,

we may be cleansed by the very mysteries we serve[FADL10] .

Through Christ our Lord.

Communion Antiphon [Cf. Ps 33 (32):18–19]

Behold, the eyes of the Lord

are on those who fear him,

who hope in his merciful love,

to rescue their souls from death,

to keep them alive in famine.

Or: [Mk 10:45]

The Son of Man has come

to give his life as a ransom for many.

Prayer after Communion

Grant, O Lord, we pray,

that, benefiting from participation[FADL11] in heavenly things,

we may be helped by what you give in this present age

and prepared[FADL12] for the gifts that are eternal.

Through Christ pour Lord.[2]

Question and Answer

Subtitle

What is a question I have?

Answer or Notes go here

Homily Help

The sons of Zebedee hardly know what they’re asking in today’s Gospel. They are thinking in terms of how the Gentiles rule, of royal privileges and honors.

But the road to Christ’s kingdom is by way of His cross. To share in His glory, we must be willing to drink the cup that He drinks.

The cup is an Old Testament image for God’s judgment. The wicked would be made to drink this cup in punishment for their sins (see Psalm 75:9; Jeremiah 25:15, 28; Isaiah 51:17). But Jesus has come to drink this cup on behalf of all humanity. He has come to be baptized—which means plunged or immersed—into the sufferings we all deserve for our sins (compare Luke 12:50).

In this He will fulfill the task of Isaiah’s suffering servant, whom we read about in today’s First Reading.

Like Isaiah’s servant, the Son of Man will give His life as an offering for sin, as once Israel’s priests offered sacrifices for the sins of the people (see Leviticus 5:17-19).

Jesus is the heavenly high priest of all humanity, as we hear in today’s Epistle. Israel’s high priests offered the blood of goats and calves in the temple sanctuary. But Jesus entered the heavenly sanctuary with His own blood (seeHebrews 9:12).

And by bearing our guilt and offering His life to do the will of God, Jesus ransomed “the many”—paying the price to redeem humanity from spiritual slavery to sin and death.

He has delivered us from death, as we rejoice in today’s Psalm.

We need to hold fast to our confession of faith, as today’s Epistle exhorts us. We must look upon our trials and sufferings as our portion of the cup He promised to those who believe in Him (see Colossians 1:24). We must remember that we have been baptized into His passion and death (see Romans 6:3).

In confidence, let us approach the altar today, the throne of grace, at which we drink the cup of His saving blood (see Mark 14:23-24).

[1] Catholic Lectionary. (2009). Bellingham, WA: Logos Bible Software.

[2] The Roman Missal: Renewed by Decree of the Most Holy Second Ecumenical Council of the Vatican, Promulgated by Authority of Pope Paul VI and Revised at the Direction of Pope John Paul II. (2011). (Third Typical Edition., p. 489). Washington D.C.: United States Conference of Catholic Bishops.

[FADL1]The idea of vicarious suffering is very strong in Is 53:11.

[FADL2]A priest is a mediator between God and man who offers sacrifice for sins

[FADL3]James and John seek the throne of glory. But Hebrews emphasizes mercy more than merit, the gratuity of glorification, as does Jesus in the gospel.

[FADL4]Why this preamble? Are they insecure about asking their real question directly?

[FADL5]Does Jesus suggest that if they are able, then as a consequence, they will sit at his right and left? If so, why does he not grant their request, when they express their readiness to meet the “condition”?

[FADL6]What does this cup represent in Jesus mind? And in the mind of James of John? What SS passages illuminate the meaning best?

[FADL7]Able to what? Do they understand the metaphor to mean share in his blessings, sufferings? Or are they just ready for “whatever”? What was Jesus’ intention in getting them to this point? Is he turning the tables on them, much as they intended to do with him?

[FADL8]How has Mk used this word in his gospel? At this point, how are the disciples growing in their understanding of Christ’s vision of authority?

[FADL9]Again the idea of vicarious atonement. Is this the meaning of the cup? Did he not come to be served a cup of blessing, but a cup of suffering, that he might serve salvation to those doomed to die?

[FADL10]The interplay of grace and merit…cleansed by Christ-in-sacrament, sacraments we serve.

[FADL11]Share in Christ’s glory

[FADL12]Echo of the Gospel: “it is for those for whom it has been prepared”