Isaiah 53:10-11; Hebrews 4:14-16; Mk 10:35-45
Hope, not despair – Our God Reigns over Sins!
Quite often we forget the meanings of “Isaiah” and “Jesus” – both mean “God is salvation” or “God saves.” The meaning of “salvation” here is not that we are already promised heaven, but we are offered the opportunities to make heaven. This is the case because “sin” – any wrong doing – separates us from God and changes the course of our journey away from God and heaven. Thankfully, the first reading of today announces the good news that “sin” has a divine solution!
Away in Babylon, on account of Nebuchadnezzar’s conquest of Jerusalem (587 B.C.), the Jewish people despaired of salvation – of ever returning home to Jerusalem. For, as long as Jerusalem was secured and its Temple standing, they had hope of God’s presence and protection. In precisely this situation of hopelessness, in Babylon, the God of salvation comes along to offer hope of salvation: Jerusalem will be rebuilt and its joys return to it. The metaphor of the suffering servant or the coming Messiah, in our first reading, promised that much. God, for the Jews, was an interventionist God!
This exile situation and despondency is also experienced in an individual level today, when a Christian feels helpless in the fight against personal and social sins, the tendency is to loose hope; in today’s language – depression! The interventionist God of the Jews continues to intervene in cases of sin and exile even today. Jesus is alive and active today, forgiving sins and interceding for sinners.
Indeed, today’s gospel reading makes Jesus the fulfillment of the prophecy of salvation in our times. Yes, the Jews returned home, rebuilt their Temple, but God’s gift of salvation goes beyond the confines of Jerusalem, it is being experienced by you and me today – the God who frees you and me from our sins. True, we may doubt who died for the Jewish liberation in our first reading, who the suffering servant was, but we – Christians – do not doubt that Jesus died on the cross of Calvary to offer us salvation – freedom from sin and evil!
However, looking around us today and seeing the ravages of war, famine, migrations, social and personal sins, one may legitimately question the salvation offered by Jesus! Our second reading, by making Jesus a priest who intercedes for us in heaven, makes salvation and forgiveness of sins a continuous process and heavenly activity of Jesus. The good news is, even in heaven, Jesus is still very interested and involved in what is happening on earth – he never tires of human affairs.
If Jesus continues to forgive sins and offer salvation upon earth, from heaven, we have the option of being part of the solution and not the problem – we need to be like Christ ready to work for peace and reconciliation, instead of be like the sons of Zebedee, who want pride of places over others, instead of seeing others as fellow Christians, journeying to heaven together.
Assignment for the Week
For Canadians, could you go out to vote for a better Canada on October 19? Obedient to the second reading, could you go for the sacrament of Reconciliation this week, to tell Jesus how you are truly sorry for your sins of Commission and Omissions!