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21 May 2024 - Tuesday of week 7 in Ordinary Time - Readings

Saint Christopher Magallanes and his Companions, Martyrs 
Liturgical Colour: Green. Year: B(II)

Readings at Mass

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First reading
James 4:1-10

You ask but you do not receive, it because you ask wrongly.

Beloved: Where do the wars and where do the conflicts among you come from? Is it not your passions that make war within your members? You covet but do not possess. You kill and envy but you cannot obtain; you fight and wage war. You do not possess because you do not ask. You ask but do not receive, because you ask wrongly, to spend it on your passions. Adulterers! Do you not know that to be a lover of the world means enmity with God? Therefore, whoever wants to be a lover of the world makes himself an enemy of God. Or do you suppose that the Scripture speaks without meaning when it says,

The spirit that he has made to dwell in us tends toward jealousy?

But he bestows a greater grace; therefore, it says:

God resists the proud,
    but gives grace to the humble.

So submit yourselves to God. Resist the Devil, and he will flee from you. Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you of two minds. Begin to lament, to mourn, to weep. Let your laughter be turned into mourning and your joy into dejection. Humble yourselves before the Lord and he will exalt you.


Commentary

James 4:1-10 addresses conflicts, desires, and the proper attitude in seeking God's help.

  1. Source of Conflicts: James begins by identifying the source of quarrels and conflicts among people. He explains that they stem from their own desires that battle within them. These unfulfilled desires lead to envy, strife, and even violence.

  2. Wrong Motives in Prayer: James points out that when people do ask God for something, they often do not receive it because they ask with wrong motives, seeking to satisfy their own selfish pleasures rather than God's will. This highlights the importance of aligning our desires with God's purposes.

  3. Friendship with the World: James warns that friendship with the world is enmity with God. He stresses that those who choose to be friends with the world and its values are essentially choosing to be enemies of God. This underscores the call to live a life distinct from worldly desires and focused on God.

  4. Call to Humility: James reminds his readers that God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble. He urges them to submit to God, resist the devil, and draw near to God. Humility involves recognizing one's need for God's grace and turning away from sin.

  5. Repentance and Purity: James calls for sincere repentance, urging his readers to cleanse their hands and purify their hearts. He encourages them to grieve, mourn, and wail over their sins, showing a genuine sorrow that leads to transformation. He concludes with a promise that if they humble themselves before the Lord, He will lift them up.

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Responsorial Psalm
Psalm 55:7-8, 9-10a, 10b-11a, 23

Throw your cares on the Lord, and he will support you.

And I say, “Had I but wings like a dove,
    I would fly away and be at rest.
Far away I would flee;
    I would lodge in the wilderness.”

Throw your cares on the Lord, and he will support you.

“I would wait for him who saves me
    from the violent storm and the tempest.”
Engulf them, O Lord; divide their counsels.

Throw your cares on the Lord, and he will support you.

In the city, I see violence and strife,
    day and night they prowl about upon its walls.

Throw your cares on the Lord, and he will support you.

Cast your care upon the LORD,
    and he will support you;
    never will he permit the just man to be disturbed.

Throw your cares on the Lord, and he will support you.
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Gospel Acclamation
Galatians 6:14

Alleluia, alleluia.
May I never boast except in the Cross of our Lord Jesus Christ,
through which the world has been crucified to me and I to the world.
Alleluia, alleluia.

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Gospel
Mark 9:30-37

The Son of Man is to be handed over. Whoever wishes to be first, shall be last of all.

Jesus and his disciples left from there and began a journey through Galilee, but he did not wish anyone to know about it. He was teaching his disciples and telling them, “The Son of Man is to be handed over to men and they will kill him, and three days after his death the Son of Man will rise.” But they did not understand the saying, and they were afraid to question him.
    They came to Capernaum and, once inside the house, he began to ask them, “What were you arguing about on the way?” But they remained silent. For they had been discussing among themselves on the way who was the greatest. Then he sat down, called the Twelve, and said to them, “If anyone wishes to be first, he shall be the last of all and the servant of all.” Taking a child, he placed it in their midst, and putting his arms around it, he said to them, “Whoever receives one child such as this in my name, receives me; and whoever receives me, receives not me but the One who sent me.”

Commentary

Mark 9:30-37 contains important teachings of Jesus to his disciples as they journey through Galilee. Here is a simple and understandable commentary in five points:

  1. Jesus Predicts His Betrayal and Death: Jesus tells his disciples that "The Son of Man is going to be delivered into the hands of men. They will kill him, and after three days he will rise." This prediction is the second of three Passion predictions in Mark's Gospel, emphasizing the necessity of Jesus' suffering and resurrection for the salvation of humanity.

  2. The Disciples' Lack of Understanding: Despite Jesus’ clear message, the disciples do not understand what he means and are afraid to ask him. This highlights their limited grasp of Jesus' mission and the nature of his kingdom, which contrasts with their expectations of a political Messiah.

  3. Debate About Greatness: As they travel, the disciples argue about who among them is the greatest. This argument reveals their misunderstanding of Jesus’ teachings and their worldly view of status and power.

  4. Jesus Teaches True Greatness: Knowing their thoughts, Jesus addresses the issue by saying, "If anyone wants to be first, he must be the last of all and the servant of all." He redefines greatness as humility and service to others, contrasting sharply with the disciples' competitive attitudes.

  5. The Example of a Child: Jesus then takes a child and places him in their midst, saying, "Whoever welcomes one of these little children in my name welcomes me, and whoever welcomes me does not welcome me but the one who sent me." In that culture, children were considered the least important. By using a child as an example, Jesus teaches that true discipleship involves welcoming and serving those who are powerless and insignificant in society.

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