29^th Sunday of the Year

Reflections on the readings…

In recent weeks, Jesus has taken us on a journey towards Jerusalem whilst instructing his disciples about what it means to follow him. Today, we face the difficult changes necessary to be an authentic follower of Jesus. Jesus turns human assumptions about what really matters on its head; ‘greatness’ is measured in God’s reign by ‘service.’ This is the message he embodied. In the upside-down (or right-side up) Reign of God, greatness is defined differently to the power, fame and fortune criteria most human systems use. In God’s reign, ‘greatness’ is found in the role of a ‘servant,’ as exemplified and embodied in Jesus: ‘For the Son of Man came not to be served, but to serve….’ Which, finally will cause him to ‘give his life as a ransom for many.’

Tosy is a young woman from the small Pacific Island nation of Kiribati.  She is in Australia temporarily and is very passionate about the issue of climate change. Tosy is concerned for her future and the future of young people across the Pacific and throughout the world. Kiribati is one of the world’s least developed countries and Kiribati’s contribution to climate change and global warming is very small.  Kiribati is very vulnerable to the impacts of climate change and could well become uninhabitable by 2050. Where will Tosy and her people go?

28^th Sunday of the Year

‘Our revolution comes about through tenderness,

through the joy which always becomes

closeness and compassion,

and leads us to get involved in

and to serve the life of others.’     Pope Francis

To the question of the young man, ‘Good Master, what must I do to inherit eternal life?’ Jesus does the unexpected. Rather than give the usual response that he should repent and establish a personal relationship with Jesus, the young man is told to keep the commandments which includes selling his possessions and distributing them to the poor. It is too high a price to pay!!