After spending two months back in France on vacation, Fr. Lejeune returned and celebrated the 11 a.m. youth mass with us this morning. Though he joked that he had not spoken Cantonese for nearly two months, his language skills were still there with him. Without further ado, he turned to the gospel story immediately.
Fr. Lejeune reiterated again that Jesus was speaking to us through these gospel stories. Jesus must have been very disappointed with the apostles he had handpicked.
After Peter's confession that Jesus was Christ (Mark 8:29), Jesus revealed the secret plan of the Messiah, that he would be rejected, killed and on the third day, he would come back to life. Peter did not understand and tried to stop Jesus from carrying out his plan. Jesus rebuked Peter in front of all the apostles.
Today, Jesus was heading Jerusalem. He spoke the second time about his imminent passion.
for he was teaching his disciples, saying to them, "The Son of man will be delivered into the hands of men, and they will kill him; and when he is killed, after three days he will rise." (Mark 9:31).
Since the disciples did not understand the first time Jesus revealed his plan, Jesus employed a simpler and more direct language to tell them the truth. He had removed the distracting details. Compare it with the first prophecy about his passion.
And he began to teach them that the Son of man must suffer many things, and be rejected by the elders and the chief priests and the scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again (Mark 8:31).
If the apostles did not understand, they would discuss, debate or even ask Jesus why he had to die, what it meant to rise after three days etc. Instead, they were arguing who, among the Twelve, should be the greatest.
But they were silent; for on the way they had discussed with one another who was the greatest (Mark 9:34).
Suppose you were Jesus. You were going up to Jerusalem to sacrifice, to die for all mankind. Yet, your disciples were fighting for the top job in the Kingdom of God. Would you not feel disappointed?
After Peter's confession that Jesus was Christ (Mark 8:29), Jesus revealed the secret plan of the Messiah, that he would be rejected, killed and on the third day, he would come back to life. Peter did not understand and tried to stop Jesus from carrying out his plan. Jesus rebuked Peter in front of all the apostles.
Today, Jesus was heading Jerusalem. He spoke the second time about his imminent passion.
for he was teaching his disciples, saying to them, "The Son of man will be delivered into the hands of men, and they will kill him; and when he is killed, after three days he will rise." (Mark 9:31).
Since the disciples did not understand the first time Jesus revealed his plan, Jesus employed a simpler and more direct language to tell them the truth. He had removed the distracting details. Compare it with the first prophecy about his passion.
And he began to teach them that the Son of man must suffer many things, and be rejected by the elders and the chief priests and the scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again (Mark 8:31).
If the apostles did not understand, they would discuss, debate or even ask Jesus why he had to die, what it meant to rise after three days etc. Instead, they were arguing who, among the Twelve, should be the greatest.
But they were silent; for on the way they had discussed with one another who was the greatest (Mark 9:34).
Suppose you were Jesus. You were going up to Jerusalem to sacrifice, to die for all mankind. Yet, your disciples were fighting for the top job in the Kingdom of God. Would you not feel disappointed?
Ashamed to say, we have let Jesus down for too many times. Indeed, we do not deserve to receive his Holy Communion. Instead of learning more about the truth which will set us free, we prefer believing in what we want to believe in and remain a slave in our comfort zone. In psychology, we learn that people employ a lot of defence mechanisms, such as denial, projection, rationalization etc. to prevent their ego from being hurt. Very often, such mechanisms do not solve the problem which refuses to go and comes back to haunt you continually.
Jesus did not blame the apostles for being ambitious. In fact, the society needs leaders. Hong Kong needs a Chief Executive. All organizations need leaders. Therefore, it is not bad to be ambitious. But Jesus teaches the apostles, and indeed anyone who wants to be leaders, the right attitude of leaders.
And he sat down and called the twelve; and he said to them, "If any one would be first, he must be last of all and servant of all." (Mark 9:35)
Jesus was not walking or standing while he taught the Twelve. He sat down to ease the situation and spoke leisurely. Jesus had failed to impress his teachings on the mind of the apostles. Now he took another approach. I am sure this time, Jesus succeeded because the teaching is recorded in the gospels.
And he sat down and called the twelve; and he said to them, "If any one would be first, he must be last of all and servant of all." (Mark 9:35)
Jesus was not walking or standing while he taught the Twelve. He sat down to ease the situation and spoke leisurely. Jesus had failed to impress his teachings on the mind of the apostles. Now he took another approach. I am sure this time, Jesus succeeded because the teaching is recorded in the gospels.
Dear Lord, if it pleases You, allow me to serve You and be a servant of all. Amen.
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