Twenty-Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time, B

	Wisdom 2: 12, 17-20
	Psalm 54
	James 3: 16-4:3
	Mark 9: 30-37

The Scriptures converge again today on the Passion of Jesus.  In the First Reading, the “righteous man” of the Book of Wisdom is a parallel figure to the “Suffering Servant” from the prophet Isaiah (read last week).  Historically, this is the personification of the faithful Jews who were not led astray by Hellenism; typologically, it is seen as a parallel to the suffering and rejection of Jesus.  The Responsorial Psalm affirms the confidence of the “righteous man” in its refrain:  “The Lord upholds my life!” while acknowledging the difficulties as well:  “for the haughty have risen up against me; the ruthless seek my life.”  In the Gospel, we have the second of three Passion predictions that occur in Mark’s account.  Here the disciples admit to themselves that they do not understand what Jesus means by this.  Jesus contextualizes this prediction by telling the disciples, “If anyone wishes to be first, he shall be the last of all and the servant of all.”  The proof that one is a faithful follower of Jesus is that one follows the Suffering Servant, even to the cross.

St. Gregory of Nyssa says, “Let vanity be unknown among you.  Let simplicity and harmony and a guileless attitude weld the community together.  Let each remind himself that he is not only subordinate to the brother at his side, but to all.  If he knows this, he will truly be a disciple of Christ.”   On the Christian Mode of Life

In the continuing reading from James, the normal pattern of presentation is reversed.  Usually in the Epistles, a negative is expressed, and then the positive.  In our Second Reading today, ‘wisdom’ is described in glowing terms, and then ‘passions’ are listed that lead us away from the wisdom of God.  This cannot be seen as mere moralism—we are called to this behavior because we are possessed by the Wisdom of God.
 
This hymn is based on today’s Scriptures:  MYM # 24
Whence comes jealousy? ambition?
With them live disorder's ways.
Unlike them is purest wisdom--
Full of mercy, all its days;
Peaceful, gentle, and compliant,
Bearing righteousness and praise.

But the wicked, in their doing
Find "obnoxious" heaven's plan
And, conspiring for its failure,
Seek to kill the Son of Man;
With revilement and with torture
Scare him from His chosen stand.

If we seek to be the foremost,
We must seek to be the last;
Serving God by serving neighbor,
Ev'ry sin away to cast,
Curbing passions with His mercy,
Till Christ's Kingdom come to pass.

87.87.87    
suggested tune:  Picardy

Propers from the Roman Gradual

Introit:  Salus populi (Ps. 37:39-40,28)
I am the salvation of my people, says the Lord God.
In whatsoever tribulation they shall call upon me, I will hear them.
And I will be their Lord for ever and ever.
	Hear my teaching, O my people,
	incline your earts to the words of my mouth.

Offertory:  Si ambulavero (Ps. 138:8)
If I walk in the midst of tribulation, yet shall you refresh me, O Lord;
You shall stretch forth your right hand against the fury of all my enemies,
and your right hand shall save me.

Communion:  Tu mandasti (Ps. 119: 4-5)
You have laid down all your commandments that we should fully keep them.
O that my ways were made so direct, 
that I might take heed unto all your commandments.

Propers from the Simple Gradual

The suite of antiphons and psalms from Ordinary Time VII 
(BFW 275–280, as well as BFW 250–253 and 262–264) — 
reverence and love for God — is especially appropriate.

Entrance: BFW 61 (When you call to the Lord . . .  )
Response: BFW 244 (God is my helper; the Lord upholds my life) 
    used as a responsorial psalm
Offertory: BFW 519 (In the presence of the angels . . . )
Communion: BFW 485 (I am the good shepherd . . . ) 
    or BFW 436 (If any want to become my followers . . . ) 
    or BFW 279 (I long for you, my Savior . . . )