by Fr Joachim Robert
Isaiah 53:10-11
Psalm 32:4-5,18-20,22
Hebrews 4:14-16
Mark 10:35-45
Theme: Love In Action
Dear friends,
As I read the Gospel, I was amused and also amazed at the attitude of the disciples because I can see myself sometimes in those situations. Because they were not sure what they were asking or what they were getting themselves into.
We see that they wanted a place of honour, positions and authority. And the values that Jesus preach about is so opposite to what they want.
And as I look at that journey that the disciples took, especially James and John, their attitude also affected the other 10 disciples as well. They too became indignant and angry perhaps with James and John, of going behind the other way and taking another route than following Jesus.
But when we look at these situations, dear friends, and we take a look at our own journey of life, when we take a look at our own situations of life, aren’t we quite similar to the early disciples where they wanted to follow Jesus, they wanted what Jesus has to offer them but as they took that step forward towards Jesus, even though they were not clear, they were willing to take that leap of faith. Even though their motivations perhaps were not so pure.
And as I look at my own self, I see sometimes when I join the seminary or perhaps when I am engaged in any ministry, I ask this question:
Am I doing it for myself or am I doing it because God has called me?
And this question, dear friends, will constantly disturb us. Sometimes those kind of questioning leads us forward, to be more firm and assured in the decisions that we make. But sometimes it makes us doubt ourselves and we withdraw, withdraw of moving forward.
But the response of Jesus was rather calm in a situation as such.
He said: You do not know what you are asking.
Jesus said to them: Can you drink the cup that I must drink or be baptised with the baptism I must be baptised?
They replied, in their ignorance, and said ‘Yes‘. Just like many, many, many of us when a leader asks you to be stepping forward in a Ministry or taking forward to do something. You are not sure what you are getting yourself into, right?
But what reminds me or perhaps what inspires me in today’s Gospel Reading that even though they did not know what they were up against, Jesus was generous in embracing them and welcoming them as part of His mission. And that shows that deep love that Jesus has for His disciples and His apostles. In the same way Jesus has that deep love for you and I.
And today, dear friends, as we celebrate World Mission Sunday, we are called to relook at our own mission in the world, of how God has entrusted us with this responsibility of sharing the Good News, of sharing the Gospel of Salvation, not only to our inner circle but to every one. And in doing so, Jesus gives us that mandate to proclaim the Good News to all creation, even though our motivations may not be so pure. But along the process, along that journey, they purify them and their life becomes transformed.
And today, as we celebrate World Mission Sunday, dear friends, we remember so many missionaries who go out, out of their comfort zone, to move to the peripheries, to move into war zones, to move into areas that perhaps people who don’t want to go, and they bring the message of salvation, that message of love, in those situations. And sometimes, those missionaries too, even though their motivations may not be so pure when they begin, they get purified, they get transformed along the process because they are willing to take that leap of faith, trusting that God has called them.
Today, dear friends, as we look at those missionaries around the world, and we look at missionaries in our own country who have been responsible in imparting or passing down the faith to us. Because of their deep conviction and their deep faith, we become beneficiaries of those work that they do. Even their motivations perhaps may be different, but God uses them for His greater glory. In their humility, in their trust, in their love for God, God uses them to build His kingdom.
And in doing so, dear friends, we come to realise that this path of a missionary requires a deep, deep love for Jesus.
And secondly, it requires docility. Willingness to surrender, to have a heart that is able to be taught by the Holy Spirit, taught by Jesus and to be able to find new purpose, new meaning in God’s mission that has been entrusted to us.
And finally, the third thing, is that we need humility. We need to acknowledge that God is the motivation who calls us into mission. God is the one who leads us into mission to be where we are.
And as we celebrate, dear friends, we ask the Lord to help us in every areas of our lives, to do the best we can, to do what we can, to grow in that love for God, to grow in that docility of where the Holy Spirit is leading us and also to grow in humility, to entrust our entire life in God’s hands and to God’s providence.
And Pope Francis, in his message on World Mission Sunday says, and he emphasises, the church’s mission to evangelise with renewed zeal invites us, invites us to go out to everyone and to call them into that banquet so that we are encouraged to be that companions on that journey.
And as we journey together as a church, as we journey together as a people, we must be reminded that it is God who calls us. Even in our limitations, even in our obstacles, even in our challenges, even though we may feel unworthy, the Lord leads us forward. And He gives us this recipe:
Anyone who wants to become great among you must be your servant.
And anyone who wants to be first among you must be a slave to all.
This is a demanding call, dear friends, but the Lord invites us to trust Him, to grow in that love, to grow in that humility and to grow in that docility of heart and spirit.
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