by Fr. Tommy Lane
Five weeks ago, we heard Jesus’ first prediction of his passion, and his conversation with the apostles afterwards (Mark 8:27-35). Four weeks ago, we heard Jesus’ second prediction of his passion, and his conversation with the apostles afterwards (Mark 9:30-37). Today we skipped over Jesus’ third prediction of his passion (Mark 10:32-34), but we did listen to his conversation with the apostles after it (Mark 10:35-45). So, what about Jesus’ third prediction of his passion? Although our Gospel excerpt today omitted Jesus’ third passion prediction, our first reading from Isaiah many centuries before Jesus, was a prophecy of Jesus’ passion (Isa 53:10-11). It is just an excerpt of a much longer prophecy in Isaiah of Jesus’ passion which we read every year on Good Friday (Isa 52:13-53:12).
Each time Jesus predicted his passion and death, he gave some teaching about the implications for our own lives. In today’s Gospel, immediately following Jesus’ third and final passion prediction, James and John asked for seats at either side of Jesus in his kingdom (Mark 10:35-37). They had obviously misunderstood Jesus’ kingdom had not properly understood Jesus’ passion predictions. In his response, Jesus said, “whoever wishes to be great among you will be your servant.” (Mark 10:43) So greatness does not consist in sitting in a seat to the right or left of Jesus, but greatness consists in serving. There are many examples of greatness all around us that never get attention: parents doing so much for their children and making sacrifices for them, and vice versa when the parents are elderly, neighbors taking care of neighbors, people helping others during lockdown, all the medical profession did during lockdown. Jesus said, “whoever wishes to be great among you will be your servant.” (Mark 10:43) So just as Jesus gave his life for us, Jesus expects us to give our lives in some way by being servant, by helping others. That is also the way Jesus lived. It has been said that he got himself crucified because of the way he ate (Robert Karris Luke: Artist and Theologian p47)—meaning his frequent associations with tax collectors and sinners. During the synodal process in the years ahead the whole Church will examine how it serves, in particular in how it listens and makes decisions.
To drive home his point, Jesus explained the goal of his life, “the Son of Man did not come to be served but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many” (Mark 10:45). Jesus came to give his life as a ransom. People were very well aware at the time of Jesus of what a ransom was. Prisoners of war, slaves, and people who had fallen into debt had to have a ransom paid for their release. A ransom meant a mutual exchange. Something passed in both directions: money was passed to a slave owner and then slave was set free. Money was given and a prisoner of war was set free. Jesus said he came to give his life as a ransom for us, in exchange for us. Our sins went on him during his passion, and salvation goes from him to us. That is the ransom, the exchange: Jesus’ passion and death in exchange for the punishment for our sins. That is why the second reading from the Letter to the Hebrews refers to Jesus as a priest. The essence of a priest is that he offers a sacrifice. I, and all of us, offer bread and wine in sacrifice to God during Mass. Jesus offered his life in sacrifice and in exchange for our sins. That is why he is our priest of the New Covenant.
This idea of exchange, ransom, is very clear in our first reading from Isaiah,
through his suffering,
my servant shall justify many,
and their guilt he shall bear.
(Isa 53:11)
The exchange is Jesus suffering and bearing our guilt in exchange for saving us from the consequences of our sins. Earlier in the reading we also heard,
If he gives his life
as an offering for sin,
he shall see his descendants in a long
life (Isa 53:10)
meaning, when he will give his life as an offering in exchange for our sin, in some way he will have his life prolonged. While the prophet did not know, we know this prolonging of his life happened in Jesus’ resurrection. Also in our first reading, there is a fascinating description of Jesus’ resurrection. It says, “he shall see the light.” (Isa 53:11) I say this is fascinating because those who have studied the Turin Shroud know the image on it was not formed by any natural means, and no technology we have now can reproduce it. Some characteristics of it can be reproduced by technology now but nothing can reproduce the image as it is. The only satisfying theory is that the image on the shroud was formed by a burst of radiation which must have taken place at the moment of Jesus’ resurrection. (In case anyone has concerns about the shroud due to carbon-14 dating, see this pdf and pages 91-100 in this pdf) Indeed, Jesus saw the light, and his resurrection was light, and he left us a witness to his passion and resurrection.
Jesus’ challenge after his third passion prediction was, “whoever wishes to be great among you will be your servant.” (Mark 10:43). So just as Jesus gave his life for us, Jesus expects us to give our lives in some way by being servant, by helping others. At Mass, above all, we celebrate Jesus giving his life in ransom, in exchange for us. The Jewish leaders, Pilate, and the Roman soldiers were the ones making the decisions about Jesus’ suffering and death but the reality is that our sins crucified Jesus. Jesus paid the ransom for our sins. Even if you were the only person in the world, he would do it for you. How precious you are to Jesus. He gave his life, his body and blood, for you. We are reminded of this during the consecration at every Mass when we hear Jesus’ words during the Last Supper, “This is my Body which will be given up for you…This is…my Blood…of the new and eternal covenant which will be poured out for you and for many for the forgiveness of sins.”
© Fr. Tommy Lane 2021
This homily was delivered in a parish in Ireland.
More Homilies for the Twenty-Ninth Sunday of Year B
Jesus gave his life as an offering for our sin and bore our guilt 2012
The Truly Great Ones of this World - Those who Love and Serve 2015
Related Homilies: see homilies above for twenty-fifth Sunday
Death of the apostles (excerpt)
Second Reading: humanity of Jesus
First Reading: Jesus’ suffering as revealed by the Shroud of Turin