17 October 2021 - ONLY BY GRACE REFLECTIONS

#TheRequestOfJamesAndJohn #Greatness #Ambition #Holiness #WillOfGod #SacrificeAndService #SacrificialService DO YOU HAVE THE AMBITION TO BE GREAT? First Reading: Isaiah 53:10-11 Responsorial Psalm: Psalms 33:4-5, 18-19, 20, 22 Second Reading: Hebrews 4:14-16 Alleluia: Mark 10:45 Gospel: Mark 10:35-45 Or Mark 10:42-45 In today’s gospel reading, the brothers James and John had ambitions of seeking to be most influential and powerful by being closest to Jesus among His disciples, thinking that the Savior of Israel that scriptures foretold would be a mighty king who would depose Ceasar. The reaction of the other apostles was indignation at James and John. We get a hint that they, too, were ambitious and resentful of the brothers getting one over any of them. Indeed, our human desire for success and prestige fuels our drive to excel, to be ahead of everyone else, to acquire, to be somebody in the ocean of ordinariness around us and to detest if someone gets ahead of us. This is the 558th installment of our CFC quarantine contemplation series focusing on the daily liturgical readings. [NOTE: All the regular reflections are between 3-7 minutes long, enough time for us to ponder what God's message is for us individually and to pray that we may live them out in our lives. This video is also available on   / cfchrist   and Bong Arjonillo’s Facebook page and on You Tube. Just type ONLY BY GRACE REFLECTIONS]