29th Sunday in Ordinary Time

Our readings for the 29th Sunday in Ordinary Time are:

1. Isaiah 53: 10-11
2. Psalms 33: 4-5, 18-19, 20, 22
3. Hebrews 4: 14-16
4. Mark 10: 35-45

1. Jesus, I'd like a raise
• If God were your employer, would you think Him generous, fair, capricious?
• If you were at prayer some day, and you got the distinct sense that God was calling you into something really new, something that was really going to test your generosity, would you think that fair of Him, after all that you've given already?
• What would be fair of God to ask of you?
• How likely is that?
2. Hoping for hope
• One theme in Ignatian spirituality is that God, contrary to popular belief, gave us our passions, our longings, and that they are often His way of directing us, and that it is a worthy prayer to ask God for the desire for His blessings, even the desire for the desire if need be.
• Would it be worthwhile to hope for hope, to achieve a place of trust in God?
• What difference would it be in your life if you had a deep trust in God?
• What would God have to do to earn such a trust?
• How is He doing?
3. A little sympathy would go a long way
• We hear that Jesus seeks to help us bear our burdens, that He is able to sympathize with us because of his stint here on earth, but do you think that Jesus sympathizes the way a good friend would, say over a long cup of coffee (or bottle of wine)?
• Have you ever tried to have one of those long intimate conversations with Jesus?
• What did He have to say in response?
4. The big reveal
• The disciples were in on a big secret.  This humble carpenter from Galilee was much more than he appeared, Israel was much more than just some Roman backwater, and they were eager for the rest of the world to know that.  James and John had dedicated their lives to this Messiah, and they thought that folks should appreciate the fact that they (and oh by the way, the rest of the disciples) had discerned the true nature of Jesus before anyone else had.
• Do you ever feel unappreciated, even invisible?
• Is it much comfort to think that you'll be rewarded in heaven?
• How important do you think humility is to the quality of our service?

Preparation for Reconciliation:

1. What am I holding back from God in my life?
2. Where do I look when I think of improving my life?
3. What sort of an example do I see in Jesus, great women and men of God, close friends who inspire me?
4. Do I feel that I have rights as a servant of God?

But, I get weekends off

Success is a hard thing to quantify anymore.
My dad used to dream of a brick house in the suburbs, a Buick, a wife, two kids, and a dog
(not necessarily in that order),
As a true mark of success.

Now, success is often measured in terms of a balance to life,
A well ordered relationship to every aspect of life,
So that no one thing takes complete control, or dominates the rest,
And there is a sort of creative tension between life's energies.

I once worked for a customer on a project for Boeing.
We were both very passionate about the success of this venture.
Each of us for different, but very complementary reasons.
At the end of one conversation he signed off with "you're doing God's work."

I remember being jolted by that statement,
As though anything at my day job could be described that way,
Particularly as I thought of the political jockeying that went on,
The way that we were trying to coopt competing groups.

But since then I've asked myself what it would be like,
To really be able to say "well dear, I had a great day."
"I did God's work."
"And now that I'm returned home, I'm primed to do more of God's work."

What might the benefits package be in that reality?
Would that work include time for recreation, enjoyment?
Would it have a retirement pension?
Would I get weekends off?

Shalom!