Readings
1st Reading: Is 53:10-11
2nd Reading: Heb 4:14-16
Gospel: Mk 10:35-45 or 10:42-45

Gospel Reflection: Understanding the Counterintuitive Nature of God’s Love

Today’s Gospel presents a deep, powerful message. If you paid attention to it, you might find yourself, like me, struggling to fully grasp the depth of its meaning. This passage brings us to the third announcement of the Passion, where Jesus reveals that the Son of Man must suffer, be betrayed, crucified, and then rise again on the third day.

The reaction of the disciples is a familiar one: misunderstanding. St. Mark makes it clear that they didn’t comprehend what Jesus was telling them. Why? Because Jesus presents them—and us—with the reality of the Kingdom of Heaven, a reality that is counterintuitive to our human experience. To understand it requires something more than reason—it requires faith.

Think about it. How many events in your life still leave you scratching your head, wondering why they happened the way they did? Whether it’s personal suffering, loss, or hardship, we often question why God, in His love, would allow these things. The answer isn’t always apparent to reason alone. That’s where faith steps in. It’s a truth that I have experienced: where reason ends, faith begins, and these two don’t contradict each other—they complete each other.

In today’s first reading from the Prophet Isaiah, we hear something that seems equally baffling: “The Lord was pleased to crush him with infirmity.” How can God be pleased by suffering? It doesn’t make sense without faith. It pleased God to save the world through the suffering of His Son, Jesus Christ. If you listen to this without faith, it might sound irrational, but with faith, we see the depth of God’s love.

When faced with suffering, we often react like the disciples. They respond to Jesus’ announcement of His suffering with a self-focused question: “Can we sit in your glory, one on your right and the other on your left?” They missed the point entirely. But this is a reflection of our own hearts. When confronted with pain, what do we do? We seek to escape it—whether through distractions, addictions, or simply ignoring the problem.

We all have our “painkillers,” ways to numb the hurt we face in life. Whether it’s alcohol, technology, or something else, we attempt to avoid the cross. But the truth is, freedom doesn’t come from avoiding suffering; it comes from facing it, trusting that God is with us even in the pain.

Jesus understands that we don’t always get it. He looks at us, just as He looked at His disciples, with compassion and patience. He knows we struggle with suffering. Yet, He invites us to share in His baptism—the baptism of the Cross. To be a Christian means to be another Christ, to follow Him even to the cross. But we do so with the promise that beyond the cross is resurrection, beyond suffering is new life.

The Gospel reminds us of the true nature of greatness in the Kingdom of God: “Whoever wishes to be great among you will be your servant, and whoever wishes to be first among you will be the slave of all.” Jesus did not come to be served but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many.

Even when we try to take the last place, we find that Jesus has already taken it for us. He embraced the cross and, in doing so, showed us the depth of His love. He didn’t die on the cross to burden us with guilt, but to give us freedom and life.

So, brothers and sisters, don’t be afraid. God knows we don’t fully understand, and that’s why we have a Savior who intercedes for us. He stands before the Father, showing His wounds, asking for another chance for us. His love is beyond our comprehension, but it is real and it is for each of us. Trust in that love, even when you don’t fully understand it. Let it lead you, especially in the moments of suffering, to the freedom and life He offers.