Liturgy Alive, Models of Celebrations

1 Pt 1:18 –25; Ps 147:12–13, 14 –15, 19–20; Mk 10:32 – 45

Daily Gospel

First Reading: 1 Pt 1:18 –25

Beloved:
Realize that you were ransomed from your futile conduct,
handed on by your ancestors, not with perishable things like
silver or gold but with the precious Blood of Christ as of a
spotless unblemished Lamb. He was known before the
foundation of the world but revealed in the final time for
you, who through him believe in God who raised him from
the dead and gave him glory, so that your faith and hope are
in God.
Since you have purified yourselves by obedience to the truth
for sincere brotherly love, love one another intensely from a
pure heart. You have been born anew, not from perishable but
from imperishable seed, through the living and abiding word
of God, for:
“All flesh is like grass,
and all its glory like the flower of the field;
the grass withers,
and the flower wilts;
but the word of the Lord remains forever.”
This is the word that has been proclaimed to you.

Responsorial Psalm: Ps 147:12–13, 14 –15, 19–20

R./ Praise the Lord, Jerusalem.

Glorify the LORD, O Jerusalem;
praise your God, O Zion.
For he has strengthened the bars of your gates;
he has blessed your children within you.
R./ Praise the Lord, Jerusalem.

He has granted peace in your borders;
with the best of wheat he fills you.
He sends forth his command to the earth;
swiftly runs his word!
R./ Praise the Lord, Jerusalem.

He has proclaimed his word to Jacob,
his statutes and his ordinances to Israel.
He has not done thus for any other nation;
his ordinances he has not made known to them. Alleluia.
R./ Praise the Lord, Jerusalem.

Gospel Reading Introduction
The Gospel tells us that the great God will save people through Jesus Christ, the Son of God, who came as a servant of all. Those who follow Jesus must, like him, learn to serve, and learn to serve even at the cost of pain.

Gospel Reading: Mk 10:32 – 45

The disciples were on the way, going up to Jerusalem, and
Jesus went ahead of them. They were amazed, and those who
followed were afraid. Taking the Twelve aside again, he began
to tell them what was going to happen to him. “Behold, we are
going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be handed
over to the chief priests and the scribes, and they will condemn
him to death and hand him over to the Gentiles who will mock
him, spit upon him, scourge him, and put him to death, but
after three days he will rise.”

Then James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came to Jesus
and said to him, “Teacher, we want you to do for us whatever
we ask of you.” He replied, “What do you wish me to do for
you?” They answered him, “Grant that in your glory we may
sit one at your right and the other at your left.” Jesus said to
them, “You do not know what you are asking. Can you drink
the chalice that I drink or be baptized with the baptism with
which I am baptized?” They said to him, “We can.” Jesus said
to them, “The chalice that I drink, you will drink, and with the
baptism with which I am baptized, you will be baptized; but to
sit at my right or at my left is not mine to give but is for those
for whom it has been prepared.” When the ten heard this, they
became indignant at James and John. Jesus summoned them
and said to them, “You know that those who are recognized as
rulers over the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones
make their authority over them felt. But it shall not be so among
you. Rather, whoever wishes to be great among you will be
your servant; whoever wishes to be first among you will be
the slave of all. For the Son of Man did not come to be served
but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

Commentary

Greatness in life comes from greatness of heart. One finds meaning and purpose in life not through self-centeredness but by living for others. Giving of ourselves means being vulnerable to the hurts that are inevitable, for the one who shares generously is rarely shown the full appreciation from others that is deserved.

Our Lord invites us to share the same cup of suffering from which He drank, knowing that we, like Him, will pray that the cup of suffering be taken away. May we open ourselves up for greatness of living by praying with Jesus, "Not my will Father, but Thy will be done."

General Intercessions

- For those in authority in the Church, that they may not become functionaries but be "ministers," that is, servants, we pray:

- For our Christian families, that by their mutual care and service parents may prepare their children to render service to others, we pray:

- For the many who serve us in various ways to provide us with the things and help we need - servants, drivers, nurses, technicians and so many others, too many to name - that we may be grateful and kind to them, we pray:

Prayer over the Gifts

Lord our God,
as your Son serves us himself at table
in the signs of bread and wine,
he asks us to drink with him
the cup of self-sacrificing love.
Let your Son fill us with that love
which alone can understand
that to be great is to serve others
and to use up our lives
to give people a chance to live and be free.
May we seek no other reward
than to share the destiny of Jesus,
our Lord and Savior for ever.

Prayer after Communion

Loving Father,
your Son has been with us
in this Eucharistic celebration
as the servant of us all.
Let him dispose our hearts
and give us his courage
to understand and accept others,
to accompany them on the road of life,
to suffer their pains,
to rejoice with their joys
and to carry each other's burdens,
that he may be with us
now and for ever.

Blessing

We too are here to serve rather than to be served. It is not an easy task. Spare others by not sparing yourself. May almighty God bless you for this, the Father, and the Son and the Holy Spirit.