Book Reviews and More: Twenty-Fourth Sunday of Ordinary Time 2018

Sunday, 16 September 2018

Twenty-Fourth Sunday of Ordinary Time 2018

Twenty-Fourth Sunday of Ordinary Time 2018

The readings for this weekend's mass are:

First Reading Isaiah 50:5-9
Responsorial Psalm 116:1-9 Response 9
Second Reading James 2:14-18
Gospel Mark 8:27-35

The first reading from Isaiah reminds us that God is our help. To put it in today's terms 'He has our back'. The psalm echo's this message the response is:

"I will walk before the Lord, in the land of the living."

The implication being, that no matter what is thrown at us, God is right there with us. God is our deliverer. The second reading has a different focus. It focuses on the fact that true faith will be visible. Our actions will live up to our theology. Our faith will be demonstrated by our works. And the last words of the gospel today tie it all together:

"Whoever wants to become my follower,
  let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.
  For whoever wants to save their life will loose it,
  and whoever loses their life for my sake,
  and for the sake of the Gospel, will save it."

At the moment it might not be easy being a Christian, and being Catholic. There is great conflict within the church. And growing hostility from the world. But that is all the more reason to live our faith. For our life to be an example, in all we do and all we say. We can witness with our words, but we also need to witness with what we do, and what we choose not to do. Our actions must live up to our theology!