Father Ed Witt, SJ
Homily from the Televised Mass, NewsCenter1
The 29th Sunday in Ordinary Time, October 20, 2024

It’s sobering to think that when Jesus walked the earth, he was not a priest. We need to remind ourselves of that. He was a lector. He would go into the synagogue and read. It was only after his Crucifixion and Resurrection that he became the great high priest. 

Indeed, Hebrews reminds us that we have one great high priest, Jesus the Son of God in Heaven. But in ascending to the heavens, he did not distance himself from the human race. In the incarnation he lowered himself to become one of us. Having experienced our humanity, our full humanity, he understands our weakness and is able to sympathize with us. That’s why we are invited to approach the Lord to find grace and mercy when we need it. In the most dire times of our lives we have to trust. 

In the Gospel, James and John, they also approached Jesus but with a different purpose in mind. They aren’t looking for mercy and grace but power and position. They are asking for seats of power and position on his right and on his left, and Jesus has says you’re asking the wrong guy. “My Father alone can give those places. You don’t know what you are asking.” 

They didn’t understand that Jesus was the suffering Messiah especially in Mark’s Gospel. That’s who he is. That’s how we find out his identity. Not in his miracles, but on the cross when he’s crucified. 

According to Isaiah, when we read this with the Christian lens, the Messiah was to be crushed and afflicted. As they say, “No guts. No glory,” and he had plenty of guts and he was glorified for emptying himself. 

Jesus teaches the Twelve, after John and James power play, he teaches them that greatness is service and we dare not forget that in the Church. Authority is not to lord it over people. The Lord is an example of this. He humbled himself. He gave his life as a ransom for many. 

We are indeed invited to approach Jesus but how do we approach him? How would you respond today to his question, “What do you want me to do for you?” That’s the question that confronts all of us. He wants to know his deepest desires and he’s eager to fulfill them so let us have confidence and we can approach him and find mercy and grace and the help that we need when we’re struggling in our lives.