Sunday, March 21, 2021
Fifth Sunday IN LENT
As we draw closer to Holy Week, we may find ourselves dumbfounded by how dense the disciples seem to be! Again and again, they don’t understand just exactly who Jesus is or why He has come. As they travel up to Jerusalem, Jesus can’t be much more explicit about His mission than He is in today’s Gospel. He says, “The Son of Man will be delivered over to the chief priests and the scribes, and they will condemn Him to death and deliver Him over to the Gentiles. And they will mock Him and spit on Him, and flog Him and kill Him. And after three days He will rise” (Mark 10:33b–34). Despite these specifics provided by Jesus, we see in the days to come that the disciples still don’t get it! But before we are too hard on these followers of Jesus, we examine ourselves and see that we don’t always take Jesus’ words and promises to heart in our own lives. Thanks be to God that Jesus still came, died, and rose for dense disciples like us!
READINGS
Old Testament: Jeremiah 31:31–34
(“I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel.”)
Psalm
Psalm 119:9-16
Epistle: Hebrews 5:1–10
(“The source of eternal salvation to all who obey Him”)
Gospel: Mark 10:35–45
(“The Son of Man came not to be served but to serve.”)
PRAYER OF THE DAY
Let us pray, Almighty God, by Your great goodness mercifully look upon Your people that we may be governed and preserved evermore in body and soul; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.
Amen.