YEAR B: HOMILY FOR THE 29TH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME (10)

YEAR B: HOMILY FOR THE 29TH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME

HOMILY THEME: KNOWING EXACTLY WHAT TO PRAY FOR

BY: Fr. Cosmas Ukadike CM

It is true that Jesus says: “Ask and you shall receive” (Matt. 7, 7). But the content of our asking in prayer must go along side the will of God for us and not our selfish interest.

In today’s Gospel, two of Jesus’s disciples came up with an embarrassing request of him And as they approached him, they made their prayer in such a way as to impose their will on the Lord.

They began by saying to him: “Teacher, we want you to do for us whatever we ask you”(Mk 10, 35). It was like imposing their desire on Jesus as ” a must do”!

And as Jesus listened to them with patients, he realized the selfishness in their prayers: “Grant us to sit, one at your right hand and one at your left, in your glory” (Mk 10, 37). For them, occupying places of authority in Jesus’s newly established kingdom will put them both at a pride of place before the other disciples. Perhaps they were seeking to be the two high ranking offices in Jesus cabinet.

So that they can Lord it over others. Their whole mindset was on human authority and kingdom. As such, the way the rulers of the earth Lord it over their subject was actually what they were intending to do, and never for the sake of service.

We are therefore called today to reflect on the wordings of our prayers. It is important to go to God in humility and total surrender to his will.

We must learn to pray like Christians; placing the common good above our personal interests. And acting like the Son of Man who came not to be served but to serve and give his life as a ransom for many ( Mk 10, 45).

May God grant us the true Spirit of Prayer+ Have a blessed week.

Fr Cosmas Ukadike, C.M.

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