Nobody Said It Would Be Easy

Feb 21: Tuesday of the Seventh Week in Ordinary Time

Jesus saves us. Great! But that’s only the beginning. There’s a lot to do in this lifetime.

Reading 1

Sir 2:1-11

My son, when you come to serve the LORD, stand in justice and fear, prepare yourself for trials. Be sincere of heart and steadfast, incline your ear and receive the word of understanding, undisturbed in time of adversity. Wait on God, with patience, cling to him, forsake him not; thus will you be wise in all your ways. Accept whatever befalls you, when sorrowful, be steadfast, and in crushing misfortune be patient; For in fire gold and silver are tested, and worthy people in the crucible of humiliation. Trust God and God will help you; trust in him, and he will direct your way; keep his fear and grow old therein.

You who fear the LORD, wait for his mercy, turn not away lest you fall. You who fear the LORD, trust him, and your reward will not be lost. You who fear the LORD, hope for good things, for lasting joy and mercy. You who fear the LORD, love him, and your hearts will be enlightened. Study the generations long past and understand; has anyone hoped in the LORD and been disappointed? Has anyone persevered in his commandments and been forsaken? has anyone called upon him and been rebuffed? Compassionate and merciful is the LORD; he forgives sins, he saves in time of trouble and he is a protector to all who seek him in truth.

Ben Sira, remember, is giving advice to his son. I’m sure he’d like his son’s life to be easy; every parent does.

But he doesn’t lie; he tells him that it’s going to get rough. So, see it as a test, a way to prove yourself. Others in the past were tested; we read about them every day. We have to have faith that it’ll turn out in the end.

Otherwise, why are we doing any of this?

Responsorial Psalm

Ps 37:3-4, 18-19, 27-28, 39-40

R.  Commit your life to the Lord, and he will help you.
Trust in the LORD and do good,
that you may dwell in the land and be fed in security.
Take delight in the LORD,
and he will grant you your heart's requests.
R. Commit your life to the Lord, and he will help you.
The LORD watches over the lives of the wholehearted;
their inheritance lasts forever.
They are not put to shame in an evil time;
in days of famine they have plenty.
R. Commit your life to the Lord, and he will help you.
Turn from evil and do good,
that you may abide forever;
For the LORD loves what is right,
and forsakes not his faithful ones.
R. Commit your life to the Lord, and he will help you.
The salvation of the just is from the LORD;
he is their refuge in time of distress.
And the LORD helps them and delivers them;
he delivers them from the wicked and saves them,
because they take refuge in him.
R. Commit your life to the Lord, and he will help you.

These are very upbeat verses from a much more dour psalm. It’s really about the problem of evil: why do the wicked prosper and the good suffer?

The answer provided is, it’s temporary. A famine is coming, and the good will have plenty. Their inheritance isn’t temporary, it won’t run out.

God will deliver you in your time of distress. We just don’t know how long that time will be.

Alleluia

Gal 6:14

R. 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.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

No matter what else is going on in your life, you can be proud to be a follower of Christ. It was a crazy thing to brag about crucifixion; it still is, if you think about it in an Earthly way.

Gospel

Mk 9:30-37

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."

Jesus tells the apostles he’s got to be handed over to the government and executed, and their response is… to argue who’s the top apostle?

Anytime you’re worried you’re not understanding scripture, remember this passage. These guys spent all day, everyday with Jesus, and they still didn’t get it.

So focus on the little things you do know and can do. Be a servant of all.