29th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year B (2024)

Wisdom 53:10-11, Heb. 4:14-16, Mark 10:35-45

Today’s readings invite us to reflect on the nature of greatness. The world often equates greatness with power, wealth, and authority, but Jesus redefines it as service and sacrifice. He teaches us that true greatness comes from serving others. “The Son of Man who came not to be served but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many”.


In the Gospel, James and John approach Jesus with a request for positions of honor in His glory, reflecting a natural human longing for status and recognition. This request leads to a crucial teaching moment for Jesus, not just for James and John, but for all the disciples—and for us today.

Jesus responds to their request by asking if they are ready to drink the cup He is to drink and be baptized with His baptism - His impending suffering and death. The cup represents the trials and sacrifices Jesus would endure, and His baptism points to His total immersion into the mission of salvation through suffering. James and John, without fully understanding, agree to share in this. Jesus accepts their willingness to drink from his cup, however, He made it clear that positions of honor in the kingdom are reserved for those chosen by the Father (All redeemed by Christ).


The other disciples become indignant at James and John’s request, likely because they, too, desired positions of prestige. Jesus, therefore, explains what true leadership and greatness look like in the kingdom of God. “Whoever wishes to be great among you must be your servant, and whoever wishes to be first among you must be the slave of all”. This teaching flips the worldly understanding of power and authority upside down. In God’s kingdom, greatness is measured by one’s capacity to serve others, not by how much one is served.


This message challenges us deeply. We live in a world that often rewards self-promotion, personal ambition, and the accumulation of power. Yet, Jesus calls us to a radical/true greatness found in humility, selflessness, and the willingness to serve those in need.

In the First Reading, the prophet Isaiah speaks of the Suffering Servant, who would give His life for the salvation of many. This Servant, who we understand as Jesus, willingly takes upon Himself the sins and burdens of humanity. His greatness is revealed not in domination, but in His sacrificial love for us.


The Second Reading reminds us that Jesus, our high priest, is not distant from our struggles. He has been tested in every way like us, yet without sin. This means He understands our human weaknesses, including our tendency toward selfish ambition. As our compassionate high priest, He offers us grace to follow His path of humility and service.


May we be strengthened to follow Christ’s example of self-sacrificial love, knowing that the path to true glory lies in serving and giving our lives for others. Amen.