TUESDAY OF THE SEVENTH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME - Gospel (Mark 9:30-37) - THE WORD OF GOD FOR EVERYONE

“If anyone wishes to be first, he shall be the last of all and the servant of all.” (Mk 9:35)

FIRST READING - Sirach 2:1-11

A reading from the book of Sirach

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.

GOSPEL OF THE DAY - Mark 9:30-37

From the Gospel according to Mark

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."

TUESDAY OF THE SEVENTH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME - Gospel (Mark 9:30-37)

THE WORD OF GOD FOR EVERYONE

Dear People of God,

Today's Word of God, God the Father calls on all the apostles who are following Him to listen to His Word and put it into practice.

That is, they must know how to live simply like a child and have a heart of loving service like Jesus Christ. Jesus loved humanity so much that He sacrificed Himself to death and was resurrected to save humanity.

In today's Word of God, Jesus Christ Himself foretold to His disciples that when following Him, being His disciples, we must learn from His example knowing how to obey the will of God the Father.

To obey the will of God the Father, we must do what He teaches, and absolutely must not do according to our own will. For when we act according to our own will, Satan will come to destroy the work of God the Father, and we will not be able to complete the mission that He has given us, which is to go out and preach His Word, to drive out Satan, and to save souls.

God the Father wants His children in today's world to be humble, simple, trusting, and relying on His power, love, and strength. He will grant all the necessary graces for His children to carry out the mission He has given them in today's world.

The teachings of Jesus Christ to the apostles in the past will be the same for the apostles today: do not compete to win, do not seek the highest place to sit, do not be arrogant, and do not desire fame or power, for these things do not please God the Father.

God the Father only desires a simple soul that obeys His will, as Jesus Christ did everything according to the teachings of God the Father, including sacrificing Himself to save all of mankind.

Today, God the Father also teaches His apostles to follow the example of Jesus Christ's obedience, to sacrifice ourselves and die ourselves to seek the benefit of souls, and to direct all things toward God the Father, so that He may grant us happiness in the Kingdom of Heaven in the afterlife.

Thanks be to God. Amen.