Worship Resources For Everyone

Are you ready for full and active participation in the Liturgy? Read on…

October 21st, the 29th Sunday in Ordinary Time

A link to the readings from the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops:
http://www.usccb.org/bible/readings/102118.cfm

A Reflection on the Readings

In the Gospel this week, we have two disciples, James and John, asking Jesus for special treatment for the two of them, only. They were bold enough to say to Jesus “Teacher, we want you to do for us whatever we ask of you.” Jesus replies “What do you wish for me to do for you?” They answer him“Grant that in your glory we may sit at your right and the other on your left.” Jesus’ response is gracious, he does not refuse them, or laugh at them, or slap them, or turn them away. He simply states “You do not know what you are asking.”  This is the third time we have heard the disciples asking for some form of glory, special treatment, or prize for their sacrifice to which Jesus tries to explain that he is not the military ruler they think he will be. James and John seize the moment to request this honor and the other disciples are disgruntled for it seems they might miss out. For Jesus, authority is for the service of others; authority looks to the needs of others. He has come to be of service and to sacrifice his life for the sake of all. Just as last week’s Gospel placed before the community the need for radical detachment from wealth, so this week’s readings confront it with a challenge in the exercise of power and authority. Pope Francis embodies the spirit of today’s Gospel. Here is his preferred vision of the Church: “The thing the church needs most today is the ability to heal wounds and to warm the hearts of the faithful; it needs nearness, proximity. I see the church as a field hospital after battle. It is useless to ask a seriously injured person if he has high cholesterol and about the level of his blood sugars! You have to heal his wounds. Then we can talk about everything else. Heal the wounds, heal the wounds. … And you have to start from the ground up.”

How can we as the church today help to heal the wounds of those around us when so often we are worried about our special treatment, power, and prestige? Who is in and who is out of the church? What is legal and what is pastoral in the church? As a church we have a history of failing to protect the children, clericalism, and collecting items of great wealth. Right now, God is casting out some of this and returning the church to the light. There is hope.Leadership in the Jesus model is about being of service to others; it is not about prestige and acclamation. Many of the best leaders are those who do not have any title of leadership or authority. Their leadership and authority come from what they do and how they do it. They inspire others to follow their example. They don’t demand it; they don’t bully; they don’t play power games. People simply want to follow their example. What does it really mean to practice servant leadership? It means placing the needs of others before your own desires for prestige or authority. We’ve all known people who have been given a position of leadership and they really only wanted the job as recognition of their popularity; a thank you for previous work done; an opportunity to demonstrate their strength of will or cleverness with words. Servant leadership is about collaborating; it’s about empowering people to do their best; it’s about trusting others and about rolling up your sleeves and getting on with the job. So often we can be like James and John looking for the short cut. “What do I need to do to inherit eternal life?” Attend daily Mass? Light enough votive candles? Say enough rosaries? What is enough? We have even been known to try to make a deal with God: “God, I promise I’ll do anything for you, if you’ll just get me an A on this test.” “God, I know I haven’t been to church in a while, but please, I need a raise at work.” “God, I’ve been sacrificing everything for you. I’ve been at church every week. I’m just asking for this one thing.” We do a lot of asking and suggesting the outcome instead of relying on the prayer we say every Sunday “Thy will be done.” How would we answer Jesus’ question? What do you wish for me to do for you? Hasn’t he done enough?  Thankfully just as Jesus was gracious to the disciples who repeatedly didn’t get what he was trying to tell them, God is patient, loving, and merciful. We come to God with our prayers, our fears, our needs and our desires. God will decide what needs tending to, just like God will decide who sits where at the banquet of the Lord.

Music as Prayer (Bis orat qui bene cantat)

A greater entrance into the prayer of the Liturgy is achieved by being familiar with the music. In particular, the Psalm functions best as a meditation on the readings when we know it well and the mechanics of singing it do not consume too much of our focus. Similarly, with the individual parts of the Mass Settings (the sung acclamations)

Psalm – YouTube link:
Psalm 33: Let Your Mercy Be on Us – Haugen

Not in Hymnal – YouTube link:
To You Who Bow – Cooney

Mass Setting – YouTube link:
Mass of Joy and Peace – Tony Alonso

Preface Dialog – YouTube link:
Traditional Chant – ICEL

Our Father – Fr. Paveglio & Corpus Christi:
Traditional Chant – ICEL

The Worship Calendar:

Nearby: St. Rose of Lima Catholic Church  (clustered with Corpus Christi)